Nationals Park Questions

[UMDNats]

It sounds like some employee/management mistakes looking at the report. Gotta imagine food service industry has a huge range of abilities working in it.

Again, ownership hires catering companies to handle this, not sure why it's apparently like they're telling the catering company, "don't clean the mold."

Yankee Stadium being dead last is hilarious to me because they spend an insane amount of money on food service (for the suites!) and have contracted out their food service company Legends to the Cowboys and other teams.

[varoadking]

An ESPN investigation of food-safety inspections at professional baseball, football, basketball and hockey venues determined Nationals Park and FedEx Field ranked among those with the highest violation rates in the country.

https://wtop.com/local-sports/2018/12/food-safety-violations-at-nats-park-and-fedex-field-espn-report-says/

There are some bad mid/lower tier arenas around - Richmond Coliseum & Norfolk Scope come to mind - but FedEx Field is by-far the filthiest major sporting venue I have ever had the displeasure of visiting...

[varoadking]

It sounds like some employee/management mistakes looking at the report. Gotta imagine food service industry has a huge range of abilities working in it.

Again, ownership hires catering companies to handle this, not sure why it's apparently like they're telling the catering company, "don't clean the mold."

Yankee Stadium being dead last is hilarious to me because they spend an insane amount of money on food service (for the suites!) and have contracted out their food service company Legends to the Cowboys and other teams.

Lack of oversight is no excuse...especially if you hire the low bidder...

[mitlen]

There are some bad mid/lower tier arenas around - Richmond Coliseum & Norfolk Scope come to mind - but FedEx Field is by-far the filthiest major sporting venue I have ever had the displeasure of visiting...

Honestly, I haven't noticed.    I don't eat much at the Park or other venues (maybe a pretzel/tots or something the missus brings back) so I'm not lookin' at these things.     Long as they don't clog up the path to the beer vendor, I don't pay much attention to the cleanliness around the Park.      I just figure if you have 30 or so thousand people in a confined area, how clean can it be?     As for food?     No way it meets standards.    However, I don't have high expectations.

[PowerBoater69]

At one point the Nats were collecting a higher percent of concessions sales than any other MLB club, leaving not much room for profit by the concessions companies. Levy does a better job cleaning at OPACY and their set up at Audi Field is much more efficient than Nats Park, it's not them it's the Lerners.

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/01/26/story4.html?b=1232946000^1765787

Friday, January 23, 2009
Sports Business
Concessionaire Centerplate is out at Nationals Park

Washington Business Journal - by Don Muret Contributing Writer

The Washington Nationals have become the first big-league team in recent memory to part ways with its concessionaire after the inaugural season at a new ballpark.

The team has cut ties with vendor operator Centerplate Inc. of Stamford, Conn, according to several industry sources.

Chicago-based Levy Restaurants will take over the food account, and Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Facility Merchandising Inc. now has the retail account.

Both companies are familiar with D.C. Levy operates premium dining at Verizon Center. FMI ran the Nationals’ retail during the three seasons at RFK Stadium.

“We cannot comment at this time,” Nationals spokeswoman Chartese Burnett said Jan. 13. Centerplate and FMI officials did not return e-mails and phone calls for confirmation.

Levy did not reply to requests for comment, either, but on Jan. 7 job openings were posted on Careerbuilder.com for 15 to 20 Levy Restaurants management positions in concessions, premium dining and administration at Nationals Park. The location in the listings was later changed to “the Northeast,” with no mention of Nationals Park, after an item ran in SportsBusiness Daily about Levy taking over the food service.

It was no secret that the Nationals were unhappy with what officials felt was Centerplate’s subpar performance at Nationals Park in 2008, the team’s first season at its new $693 million facility.

Two weeks before the season ended, Nationals President Stan Kasten told The Washington Times there was a possibility that Centerplate would not return in 2009.

Centerplate signed a 20-year contract in late summer 2007 that paid the Nationals a commission rate exceeding 50 percent for regular concessions, according to sources, the highest in Major League Baseball. Those terms, coupled with the Nats’ struggles last season at the gate, where they averaged 29,005 paid spectators in a 41,888-seat stadium, resulted in Centerplate losing millions of dollars, sources said.

Publicly held Centerplate is being sold to private equity firm Kohlberg & Co. in a deal Centerplate officials have said is expected to close in the first quarter, pending shareholder approval.

Some Centerplate clients have change-of-control clauses in their contracts that allow them to change concessionaires if the company is sold.

The possibility also exists that Kohlberg is trying to eliminate a deal with terms it views as unfavorable before completing the merger. If that is the case, Centerplate could be the one exercising an escape clause, said a source with experience negotiating concessions contracts. It was unknown whether Centerplate had that option in the D.C. contract.

Consultant Chris Bigelow, who helped the Nationals develop concessions at their new park, said, “I don’t think attendance reached what [both parties] had projected internally, and they weren’t hitting their numbers. After that happens, nobody’s happy.”

Levy will be the Nationals’ third food provider in three seasons. Philadelphia-based Aramark Corp. managed concessions and premium dining at RFK before the team moved to Nationals Park.

[varoadking]

Honestly, I haven't noticed.    I don't eat much at the Park (maybe a pretzel/tots or something the missus brings back) so I'm not lookin' at these things.     Long as they don't clog up the path to the beer vendor, I don't pay much attention to the cleanliness either.    I just figure if you have 30 or so thousand people in a confined area, how clean can it be?     As for food?     No way it meets standards.    I don't have high expectations.

I guess Lambeau Field has likely spoiled me for life.  Everywhere else feels like you are sitting in the last row of coach next to the lavatories on a flight to Des Moines...(that's a bit of hyperbole)

[UMDNats]

I don't doubt the Lerners penny-pinch and everything and I love a good bash session on their incompetence but this falls ultimately on Levy for failing to adequately do their job.

That said, the high turnover of catering companies and Levy's record elsewhere indicates the Lerners are probably real dicks about all of this.

[UMDNats]

Honestly, I haven't noticed.    I don't eat much at the Park or other venues (maybe a pretzel/tots or something the missus brings back) so I'm not lookin' at these things.     Long as they don't clog up the path to the beer vendor, I don't pay much attention to the cleanliness around the Park.      I just figure if you have 30 or so thousand people in a confined area, how clean can it be?     As for food?     No way it meets standards.    However, I don't have high expectations.

This is pretty much my POV. I get my chicken tender basket and beer and I'm pretty content. Don't expect stadiums to be super on top of it when it comes to food prep and care.

[mitlen]

I guess Lambeau Field has likely spoiled me for life.  Everywhere else feels like you are sitting in the last row of coach next to the lavatories on a flight to Des Moines...(that's a bit of hyperbole)

In the day when I smoked (and it was allowed), that's where I sat.       

[varoadking]

In the day when I smoked (and it was allowed), that's where I sat.       

Before smoking was banned, I recall a flight to somewhere in Europe where the smoking and non-smoking sections were separated by the center aisle.  Port side was smoking...starboard was non-smoking...

[Natsinpwc]

Expensive and dirty concessions!

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/25316231/health-inspection-reports-find-critical-violations-nfl-nhl-nba-mlb-stadiums-2018-espn-lines

[RobDibblesGhost]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/upcoming-navy-yard-bar-wants-to-save-nats-fans-from-chain-chicken-wings/ar-BBQXfC6

New sports bar opening up across the street from the CF gates - with self-serve beer taps

[bluestreak]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/upcoming-navy-yard-bar-wants-to-save-nats-fans-from-chain-chicken-wings/ar-BBQXfC6

New sports bar opening up across the street from the CF gates - with self-serve beer taps

The first incarnation of Walter’s was two blocks from my house. It was... not good.

[OldChelsea]

Before smoking was banned, I recall a flight to somewhere in Europe where the smoking and non-smoking sections were separated by the center aisle.  Port side was smoking...starboard was non-smoking...

When I was residing in Hawaii (1969-72) they didn't even separate smokers and non-smokers, at least not on US-flag aircraft. Hard to believe nowadays, but that's the way it was back then.

[OldChelsea]

Capitol One Center I'm sure would have been there too but they were unranked.

I remember about a decade ago they had quite a little scandal about dirty conditions in the food serveries there (dishes delicately seasoned with mouse manure etc).

Fortunately, apart from the odd Nats Dog I rarely eat in sporting arenas.

[mitlen]

When I was residing in Hawaii (1969-72) they didn't even separate smokers and non-smokers, at least not on US-flag aircraft. Hard to believe nowadays, but that's the way it was back then.

On the smoking trends applicable to Nats' Park, I always crack up at the fans trying to sneak a smoke on the ramp in left field between levels two and three (over looking SC ST).    One of the ushers who patrols the escalator is on the prowl for smokers.     It's fun to watch the game of hide and seek they all play.

[PowerBoater69]

On the smoking trends applicable to Nats' Park, I always crack up at the fans trying to sneak a smoke on the ramp in left field between levels two and three (over looking SC ST).    One of the ushers who patrols the escalator is on the prowl for smokers.     It's fun to watch the game of hide and seek they all play.

My friends who smoke have been very happy with the ban, they say that they wish they had known years ago how easy it was to sneak a smoke on the ramps. My guess is that the team doesn't care as long as the smokers aren't bothering anyone.

[imref]

JDland notes on twitter that the Nats are installing solar panels on the two parking garages.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

JDland notes on twitter that the Nats are installing solar panels on the two parking garages.

Makes some sense.  Unobstructed south view.  Could probably sell power to the Navy Yard on a microgrid or the new apartments in the neighborhood when there's no game going on.  Heck, maybe even knock the Capital Power Plant off line if the coal state reps and senators would allow it.  There may even be space for batteries, which would be useful for peak shaving.  I don't know if they could generate enough juice for operations when a game is on.

[PowerBoater69]

I don't know if they could generate enough juice for operations when a game is on.

Doesn't work in the rain.

[Mathguy]

Like any other solar user, the panels would be to supply electricity in addition to present electric sources.  Also, the panels would generate electricity in the offseason

Doesn't work in the rain.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Doesn't work in the rain.

But with cheap batteries, that's less of a problem.  Teh way this is now done is to couple solar with a backup source, like batteries or gas.  Of course, it is one system that supplies power when you are on the grid, which is why the best system of emissions reduction is to set CO2 limits based on optimizing that system

[comish4lif]

JDland notes on twitter that the Nats are installing solar panels on the two parking garages.

[PowerBoater69]

@JimmyDonofrio on Twitter pointed out that the solar panels will block the view of the field from the neighboring buildings.

[mitlen]

@JimmyDonofrio on Twitter pointed out that the solar panels will block the view of the field from the neighboring buildings.

(Image removed from quote.)

I'm shocked.