FC Cincinnati and Levy have announced a dining and hospitality partnership for the club’s upcoming West End Stadium, which is set to open in 2021.
The collaboration will drive West End Stadium as a culinary and cultural epicenter of Cincinnati, providing fans with authentic menus, atmospheres and partnerships that showcase the best the city has to offer.
“One of our main goals in building and opening West End Stadium is providing the best on-site experience for every single one of our guests at every event,” FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding said. “Having a partner like Levy – who is at the top of its industry and changing the way stadium and arena food is thought of and presented – is game-changing for us and our fans. Hospitality, catering and concessions are some of the most important game day experiences for anyone who attends a sporting event, and we know we’re in for a world-class experience when West End Stadium opens in 2021.”
“This new stadium is an incredibly exciting project and shows the huge growth and potential for professional soccer in Cincinnati,” said Andy Lansing, President and CEO of Levy. “In a city with a lengthy sports and food history, FC Cincinnati is the perfect club to become an innovator in both areas. We’re excited to collaborate and build a world-class experience based on the traditions that put Cincinnati on the sports and food map. The 2021 season can’t come soon enough.”
Dining at West End Stadium will be heavily influenced by Cincinnati fan favorites and draw inspiration from culinary innovators and markets from around the city. A deeper understanding of fan preferences will be driven by Levy’s E15 Group, recognized as an industry-leader in analytics and emerging technology.
From the FC Cincinnati – Levy partnership at West End Stadium, fans can expect:
- Signature dishes crafted based on FC Cincinnati traditions and fan preferences,
- A visible presence of Cincinnati’s best restaurants and purveyors in the various dining environments throughout the stadium, and
- Elevated dining options in premium spaces utilizing fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.
The venue will also offer job and skill-building opportunities for the city’s culinary talent.
Levy will work with FC Cincinnati to build the dining and hospitality experience over the next year, leading up to the stadium’s planned opening in March 2021. Once open, Levy will oversee all food and beverage operations across the stadium, tapping into its experience executing high-end signature events like the Kentucky Derby, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Grammy Awards, and many other championship and world-class sports and entertainment events across the United States.
Levy has also built expertise developing and operating some of the top professional soccer experiences, with eight MLS venue partners including Audi Field in Washington, D.C., and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, among others.
Image courtesy FC Cincinnati. Pictured from left to right: Jeff Smith, Vice President of Ticket Sales & Service, FC Cincinnati; Vince Cicero, Sr. Vice President, Partnerships & Broadcasting, FC Cincinnati; Chad Gregory, Regional Director of Operations, Levy; Jonathan Williams, Vice President and Regional Chef, Levy; Jeff Berding, President, FC Cincinnati.
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