109 Hooters Girls, from Atlanta to Zagreb, Win Chance to Compete at 9th Annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant

109 Hooters Girls, from Atlanta to Zagreb, Win Chance to Compete at 9th Annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant

Finalists Head to Miami for June 28 Competition Airing Live at Hooters Restaurants across the U.S.A.

ATLANTA, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- One hundred nine Hooters Girls from the famed Hooters Restaurants have won a chance to compete in the 9th Annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant, it was announced today by Hooters of America Vice President Mike McNeil. "We congratulate the Hooters 109," said McNeil.

The finalists were selected from the over 15,000 Hooters Girls worldwide who presently work in the chain's 400 restaurants. Hooters Restaurants are well-established eateries in 46 states and 16 countries. "Name me one other pageant that can introduce Ms. Zagreb to Ms. Atlanta and have them have the Hooters experience in common," quipped McNeil.

The 2005 Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant will be welcomed back to Miami this year by a sold out audience. It can be seen in nearly 400 Hooters locations locally on close circuit broadcast live from the Jackie Gleason Theater at 7:00 p.m. EDT, on Tuesday, June 28.

A panel of judges include NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Chris Rose and Leeann Tweeden from the Best Damn Sports Show. A Ms. Congeniality award voted by the pageant staff and a Ms. Photogenic winner voted by celebrity photographer Todd Ferren will also be awarded.

The Pageant is supported by E!, ESPN, Fox Sports Network and The Speed Channel. The "Best Damn Sports Show Period" will film the pageant for a national broadcast of a 1-hour special entitled, "The Best Damn Swimsuit Pageant,"to air on Fox Sports Net.

The 109 semifinalists model evening gowns and swimsuits. The winner represents Hooters as a spokesperson in 2005. She takes home $30,000, a Pepsi Smash Live concert appearance with Gwen Stefani, a Kawasaki Jet ski, a Plasma TV from LG Electronics and modeling contracts worth thousands more. The 1st runner up receives $12,000. Remaining contestants divide $70,000 in cash and prizes.

Hooters of America, Inc., the franchiser of Hooters restaurants, known for its chicken wings and Hooters Girls was established in 1983 in Clearwater. In 2003, Hooters Air took flight. The Hooters Casino Hotel opens in Las Vegas, 2006.

Please call for photos and names of your local area's finalists. More info on http://www.hooters.com/ .

Source: Hooters

CONTACT: Gail Parenteau of Parenteau Guidance, +1-212-532-3934,
Pageantmedia@hooters.com, for Hooters

Web site: http://www.hooters.com/

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