Former Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal may be in the early stages of opening a restaurant across the street from Staples Center at L.A. Live. It was first reported by Eater LA, who cited an ABC license that was filed under the business name of “Shaquille’s.”
The address listed for the license (800 W. Olympic Blvd. #A150) is that of two shuttered restaurants thus far. First, the space was occupied by “The Farm of Beverly Hills.” They closed their doors at the turn of the New Year in 2016.
It then transitioned to “Cleo,” a product of sbe’s subsidiary Disruptive Restaurant Group, which closed in May.
O’Neal isn’t completely foreign to the restaurant business, as he announced plans to film an eight-episode reality show for Facebook that would chronicle his opening of “The Big Chicken” in Las Vegas. It’s expected to open this fall.
While that restaurant will serve various types of chicken, it’s unclear which direction O’Neal might take with his L.A. Live restaurant. The campus already boasts an array of upscale and fast-casual dining options.
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