FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2003
Contact: Tyler Fray 704.944.5176
tfray@firebirdsrockymountaingrill.com

FIREBIRDS® FIRES UP OUT WEST WITH TUCSON OPENING
(CHARLOTTE, NC)

Firebirds Rocky Mountain Grill, a Colorado themed restaurant based out of Charlotte, NC spread its wings and opened its forth and finale new store for the year on December 8th in Tucson, Arizona at La Encantada Shopping Center. The Tucson locale will mark the 2nd Firebirds in the Arizona market and the 6th for the company by year’s end. Located at the intersection of Skyline and Campbell Roads in northeast Tucson, La Encantada sits just above the Rillito and Tanque Verde Rivers in the fabulous Catalina Foothills, an affluent sub-community of Tucson. Set in an exclusive enclave of upscale residences and luxury resorts, the outdoor specialty lifestyle center boasts over 40 "high-end" specialty retailers such as Tommy Bahama, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Cache, Williams-Somoma and Pottery Barn. Its distinctive architecture will draw upon Tucson’s southwesten tradition of culture and appreciation of it’s desert environment. High-end shops and restaurants encompass 25 acres of the site, while an additional 12 acres will remain open, including natural and landscaped space.

Incorporating the flavor of bold sauces, Chipotle peppers and Ancho chiles, Firebirds proudly features the unique taste of Colorado and the Rocky Mountains. The open-air kitchen, complete with wood-burning grills, wood-fired pizza ovens and rotisseries, features cooking derived from the Rockies and Southwest. Highlights include aged, hand-cut steaks, prime rib, fresh seafood, rotisserie chicken, homemade pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salads. Reminiscent of a Colorado lodge, with high vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and both and indoor and outdoor fireplace, the atmosphere at Firebirds is every bit as inviting as the food.

With six Firebirds up and operating in 2003 (Charlotte, NC; Durham, NC; Richmond, VA; Peoria, AZ; Memphis, TN and Tucson, AZ), the company also has signed locations in Raleigh, NC and Phoenix, AZ. Additional sites under selection and negotiation for 2004 include: another property in Phoenix, AZ; Birmingham, AL; north Charlotte, NC and several locations in the Washington, DC market.

Firebirds Tucson is located at:
2985 E. Skyline Drive
Tucson, AZ 85718
520-577-0747