Barclays Center

Barclays Center, which opened on September 28, 2012, is a major sports and entertainment venue in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. Developed by Brooklyn-based real estate developer Forest City Ratner Companies, Barclays Center has one of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed into a modern multi-purpose arena, with unparalleled sightlines and first-class amenities. Barclays Center offers approximately 17,732 seats for basketball, 14,500 seats for hockey and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four club areas, and full service restaurant, called The 40/40 Club by American Express, currently changed names due to sponsorship initiatives.

Challenge
The Barclays Center in Brooklyn represents the best in class arena operation in all food and beverage areas. The program was developed to exceed all customer expectations to ensure patrons will use the venue before a concert, family show and other events. There needs to be a draw to the venue with some activation areas that will attract patrons to hang in this new state-of-the-art facility.

Objective
Equally important was ownerships vision that the food and beverage areas would be filled with products and brand identity from local artisanal and veteran Brooklyn vendors developing one of the most unique, interesting and trend setting programs in the history of sports and entertainment. The scope of this project included the development, parameters, guardrails, and infrastructure to support the “Brooklyn Taste” food and beverage concept programming. Owner representative acting as a liaison between ownership and the food service concessionaire.

Key Features

• State-of-the-art new area facility
• Well establish development company as ownership
• First in its class to develop aggressive culinary program in an arena environment
• Financial support to execute ownership vision
• Knowledgeable and experience team to execute programming
• Community responsible initiatives including green roof, raw food composting, compostable disposables and no food waste guidelines

Services

• Concept programming of food and beverage areas
• Menu direction and design
• Defined the 55 vendor programs of the famous “Brooklyn Taste”
• Created process for low-to-no food waste
• Culinary advisory on all F&B areas
• Owners representative - 4 years