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Ribbon Cut at First Chicagoland AutoNation USA Megastore

17 December 1998

Wayne Huizenga Cuts the Ribbon at First Chicagoland AutoNation USA Megastore; 41st AutoNation USA Opens in Downers Grove

    DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Dec. 17 -- Entrepreneur and AutoNation
USA co-CEO, H. Wayne Huizenga, will cut the ribbon today at the first
Chicagoland AutoNation USA used vehicle megastore in Downers Grove.  The new
AutoNation USA, located at 3300 Finley Road, is the forty-first AutoNation USA
megastore to open nationally.  The ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception,
taking place at 6:45 p.m. today, marks the official grand opening of the
Downers Grove location, which opened to the public Monday, December 7.
    The Downers Grove megastore gives consumers in the area access to the
high-quality features and services that make AutoNation USA the industry's
best and easiest way to buy and own a used vehicle.  The AutoNation USA
megastore features enormous selection, no-haggle pricing, a low-pressure sales
environment, a fully equipped and supervised ChildPlay Center and an AutoGear
USA accessory store.  Moreover, AutoNation USA took into account Chicago's
winter weather, and the Downers Grove megastore features the region's only
indoor showroom.  The 40,000-square foot facility will feature over 200 top
quality used cars.
    "In planning the megastores, we asked questions to find out what customers
like and what they don't like," said David Salomon, General Manager of
AutoNation USA in Downers Grove.  "And customers keep telling us to make the
used car buying experience easier and faster.  At AutoNation USA, we make it
easy for customers to buy and own the vehicle they want."
    Mike Maroone, President of AutoNation USA's Automotive Retail Group,
added, "AutoNation USA is dedicated to providing local car buyers with a
hassle-free, pleasant shopping experience.  The AutoNation USA brand is based
on two very important philosophies: we respect our customers -- their time,
intelligence and pocketbooks; and we give our customers confidence through the
entire car-buying and ownership experience."
    AutoNation USA's new vehicle partners in the Downers Grove area include
Libertyville Toyota and Woodfield Ford.
    AutoNation USA is an operating unit of Republic Industries, Inc.
, a publicly traded company headquartered in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida.  Republic Industries operates subsidiaries in the automotive
retailing, automotive rental, automotive financial services and solid waste
industries.  The Company owns the nation's largest group of franchised
automotive dealerships, as well as National, Alamo and CarTemps USA car rental
companies.