Jay Z opens 40/40 Club at Atlanta airport

By: 10 years ago

In this Oct. 10, 2013 file photo, US singer Jay Z performs on stage at the o2 arena in east London, as part of his Magna Carta World Tour. Jay Z is opening his 40/40 Club at the world’s busiest airport based in Atlanta. AP

ATLANTA—Jay Z brought his 40/40 Club to the world’s busiest airport on Wednesday, with the opening the swanky bar’s third location.

40/40 is open to ticketed passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to spokeswoman Victoria Hong of Delaware North Companies, which partners with the rap mogul. The sports bar is in the airport’s Concourse D concessions area, Hong said.

“We want to have the same type of feel as the regular 40/40 Club,” Hong said. “It’s the airport version of the 40/40 Club.”

Airport concessions director Paul Brown said there are plans to create a VIP lounge area of the club, separate from the sports bar — at 1,500 square feet (140 sq. meters)— on a different floor. The lounge is expected to open in the late fall, Brown said.

Brown called the lounge a “scaled down” replica of original club.

40/40 restaurant and lounges also are located in Manhattan and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Jay Z also had clubs in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, New Jersey, but both closed.

40/40 is known at the New York locations for its live music and sports memorabilia and for attracting sports celebrities and music stars such as Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne.

The original Manhattan location opened in 2003, with Jay Z and business partner Juan Perez.

40/40 was named after the rare feat among ballplayers of hitting 40 homers and stealing 40 bases in one season.