Airport Experience® News - ACDBE Issue 2025

on joint ventures with primes that had the capital and resources SHG now lacked. “We were fortunate enough to connect in 2011 with Delaware North , who is still my partner today, 14 years later,” Nabbie says. Triangle Of Success Going into business with Delaware North marked the beginning of a rewarding partnership for both companies. Together they operate 59 locations in five airports, including MCO, Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Tampa International Airport (TPA), Richmond International Airport (RIC) and Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF). “Working alongside Tyrone has been a transformative experience, deeply rooted in trust, collaboration and shared values,” says Sunshine White, senior director of strategic partnerships for Delaware North’s travel division. “Having witnessed Tyrone’s interactions with various stakeholders, I can attest to his ability to inspire teams, build bridges between communities, and set a benchmark for collaborative success. Whether we’re working on strategic plans or addressing operational challenges, his ability to unite teams and inspire shared purpose is extraordinary.”

AT A GLANCE NAME OF COMPANY: Superior Hospitality Group HEADQUARTERS: Orlando, FL OWNER(S): Tyrone Nabbie YEAR FIRST AIRPORT LOCATION OPENED: 1997 NUMBER OF AIRPORT LOCATIONS: 59

AIRPORTS: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Orlando International Airport (MCO), Tampa International Airport (TPA), Richmond International Airport (RIC), Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) CONCEPTS OPERATED: 47 food and beverage concepts, plus four retail concepts NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 1,000-1,100 FUTURE PLANS: Superior Hospitality Group will continue to maintain its relationship and growth with Delaware North. At the same time, the company anticipates possible changes to ACDBE regulations and will likely bid on independent lease opportunities for small businesses while continuing to form partnerships in various local markets to promote mentorship of new ACDBE firms entering the industry.

Nabbie attributes his success to his multipronged approach to the business – something he calls the “Nabbie Triangle of Success.” The first element of this involves mastering operations. “This includes operating the best facilities, being a great partner, taking care of your employees, your customers and your vendors, and mastering that in the delivery of service,” he says. “People look at service as sitting at the table, getting your food, paying and walking out with a thank you. But it really starts at the back door of a restaurant; it starts with the investors; it starts with your food vendors; it starts with going through from production all the way through the cook line and to the table.” Next in the triangle is politics. “I separate politics by internal and external, and particularly in an airport environment your internal politics are your landlord, your employees, the airport employees, the airport environment, everybody you work with at the airport,” Nabbie explains. “And then the external politics is all your board members, maybe the governor or four or five commissioners or it could be an authority. You have to manage those every day, because if people don’t like you, they won’t do business with you. I don’t care how successful you are as an operator, if you can’t maintain a relationship and stay visible and in the face of the decision makers, you won’t make it.” Finally, the third element is community. “The internal side is taking care of Left: Superior Hospitality Group operates a whopping 24 locations at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport with Delaware North, including such brands as Kafé Kalik, SHG’s proprietary Caribbean casual dining concept, and The Market on Las Olas, a retail concept featuring Amazon’s checkout-free technology.

employees, taking care of the community in which you work daily, donating your time and participation in the airport,” Nabbie says. “And the external is giving back to the community outside the airport, being a community player, donating your time and to well causes so that the community thrives with you.” Looking ahead, Nabbie acknowledges that the ACDBE program faces an uncertain future with the Trump Administration’s determination to shut down diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. With this in mind, SHG is looking into opportunities to bid on smaller concessions contracts independently, while also continuing to grow with Delaware North. “I think we can do both at the same time – it’s been 14 years in business with Delaware and fundamentally we won’t compete with them on anything. We will keep it transparent to maintain that relationship,” he says. Nabbie adds that SHG’s future plans also involve continuing to mentor other small businesses. This aspect of Nabbie’s approach to the business stands out to Delaware North’s White. “What truly defines Tyrone is his humility and dedication to mentorship,” she says. “He doesn’t merely lead; he empowers. His endeavors to forge partnerships with local small businesses and mentor incoming partners highlight his dedication to nurturing growth and fostering a collaborative ecosystem within the industry.” To Nabbie, it’s just the right thing to do. “The airport business is not easy, it’s full of nuances and a lot of people don’t understand it enough and fail as a result of it,” he says. “And so it’s very, very important to us to develop and assist small business operators, passing our knowledge and experience on.”

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AX NEWS JUNE 2025