Austin FC has selected Levy to serve as the hospitality partner for its upcoming stadium, set to open for the 2021 MLS season.
Levy will work with Austin FC to design every detail of match day dining and hospitality across concessions, bars, clubs, and suites.
Leading up to Austin FC’s debut MLS campaign in 2021, the club and Levy will work with Austin’s world-renowned culinary community to identify opportunities for favorite restaurants, purveyors, and up-and-coming hospitality talent to influence the supporter experience.
“The selection of a hospitality partner to oversee food and beverage service within a highly-trafficked venue is a critical decision for any sports and entertainment property, and our expectation of delivering an exceptional guest experience alongside our requirement to work with an industry leader with a strong track-record of operational expertise led us to proudly partner with Levy,” said Andy Loughnane, President of Austin FC. “Levy will work closely with the Austin food and beverage community to identify a variety of stadium options which will reflect Austin FC’s desire to develop an Austin-inspired menu that will be customized for an outdoor MLS stadium.”
“People know Austin as a hotbed of culinary creativity and one of the best places to eat in the country,” said Andy Lansing, President and CEO of Levy. “That spirit will shine through when the first match kicks off in 2021. We share Austin FC’s ambition to create a new sports tradition in Austin, built around culinary imagination and experiences that unite the community.”
Austin FC and Levy are committed to bringing local, independently-owned restaurants, purveyors, culinary talent and hospitality professionals into the venue. The Austin community will play a major role in defining the experience. Culinary ambassadors for the new stadium will spend 2020 in the community identifying opportunities for restaurants to serve their signature flavors to Austin FC fans. The team will also work with E15 Group, Levy’s tech and analytics company, to develop menus based on Austin FC supporters’ favorite tastes. More information about culinary opportunities at the new stadium will come in 2020.
Levy will also contribute its hospitality perspective as the stadium design and construction process continues, tapping into experience at some of the top sports and soccer venues around the country. Levy has partnered on new stadium builds and renovations across MLS, including Audi Field in Washington, D.C., Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and the newly renovated Providence Park in Portland. Levy also serves guests locally at Austin Convention Center and Palmer Events Center, and across Texas at Toyota Center, BBVA Compass Stadium, and AmericanAirlines Center, among many others.
Stadium rendering courtesy Gensler.
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