---
title: "Shaquille O’Neal-Owned Big Chicken Gears Up for Carson City Opening"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/47c13492-bdfc-45da-b014-f4010087ad80
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20231229_shaquille_onealowned_big_chickengears_up_for_carson_city_opening.html
category: "Chicken"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Chicken"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2023-12-29T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T20:02:09.264Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1561758033-d89a9ad46330?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Shaquille O’Neal-Owned Big Chicken Gears Up for Carson City Opening

**TL;DR:** Big Chicken, owned by Shaquille O'Neal, is opening its first location outside of Las Vegas in Carson City as part of a six-unit deal with experienced restaurant owner Damon Kreizenbeck. The brand currently has locations in several cities and venues across the US, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Seattle.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2023-12-29. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20231229_shaquille_onealowned_big_chickengears_up_for_carson_city_opening.html).*

## Story

As part of a six-unit deal, the Carson City location will be the first to open for experienced restaurant owner, Damon Kreizenbeck. This location will be added to the existing duo of Nevada locations but will be the first to offer the brand’s mouthwatering menu items outside of Las Vegas.

“Our family knows that to be successful, you need good people, a good environment and most importantly, good food, and are confident that we’ve found that in Big Chicken,” said Kreizenbeck. “Their team was exactly the type of people that I wanted to partner with, and I’m thrilled to be able to expand the brand in our mutual home state!”

Prior to business ownership, Kreizenbeck spent much of his professional life in the fine wine business where he owned a wine and spirit marketing company and a fine wine distributor. In 2015, he became a Firehouse Subs franchisee, and opened his first location with his father-in-law, Patrick Lindsay. Kreizenbeck’s father-in-law will also be involved in the Big Chicken business, as will Damon’s wife, Karin and their daughters, Hanna, Lindsay and Kyda.

In addition to his family, Damon’s longtime friend from college, Anthony Kingsland, will also be involved as COO. Kingsland has decades of experience in fine dining and fast casual.

“It’s been great bringing Damon and his family on board. Their connections to Carson City and love for the people and culture there are inspirational,” said Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken. “Outside of their ties to the community, The Kreizenbecks’ industry knowledge and business skills make them the perfect partners to continue building on Big Chicken’s reputation in Nevada.”

Big Chicken currently has locations open in Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Seattle; Houston; Tannersville, Pennsylvania; Gilbert, Arizona; Rosemont, Illinois and in the Dayton, Ohio region, as well as in metro-New York’s UBS Arena, The Comcast Center in Philadelphia, The Moody Center in Austin, ASU’s Mullett Arena, Palm Springs’ Acrisure Arena, St. Louis’s Busch Stadium, Arizona’s Footprint Arena, Kansas City International Airport and on three Carnival Cruise ships.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- unit expansion (topic)
- Firehouse Subs (company)
- Big Chicken (company)
- restaurant ownership (topic)
- Shaquille O'Neal (person)
- Josh Halpern (person)
- franchisee partnership (topic)
- Carnival Cruise (company)
- Comcast (company)
- Carson City (location)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20231229_shaquille_onealowned_big_chickengears_up_for_carson_city_opening.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/47c13492-bdfc-45da-b014-f4010087ad80).