CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati have collaborated with Levy, the market leader in sports and entertainment hospitality, to create Lion’s Share Hospitality a new team of chefs, restaurant and hospitality professionals, and beverage experts crafting every aspect of food, beverage, and hospitality at West End Stadium.
Lion’s Share Hospitality is creating a welcoming, modern fan experience, where fans in all areas of the stadium – and outside the stadium before matches – will savor their favorite foods. Fans can dig into smoked meats, signature sausages, decadent fried chicken, and fresh-made to-go salads and wraps around the concourse.
“Our fan’s game-day experience is our top priority. We know that quality food and beverage options are some of the most important game day experiences for anyone who attends a sporting event. We have not been able to offer that until now.,” said Jeff Smith, FC Cincinnati Senior Vice President. “We are creating a food and beverage experience our fans can really look forward to when West End Stadium opens in spring 2021.”
“Cincinnati’s culinary community and collection of world-class restaurants and chefs has blossomed over the past several years, and we want all fans to experience the best of that community when attending a match,” said Nigel Chalkey, Director of Operations, Lion’s Share Hospitality. “Not only will fans be able to taste the best of the city, they’ll experience truly modern and welcoming hospitality, whether a fast and fresh walk-up market, favorite restaurant, or perfectly poured craft beer.”
From Lion’s Share Hospitality at West End Stadium, fans can expect:
- 14 food and beverage destinations, three distinctly branded bars and two grab and go markets to maximize speed of service. Speed is especially important in a MLS stadium because the clock does not stop during a match except for the 15 minute half time.
- Concourse dining destinations will span a variety of flavors, with several concepts created by Lion’s Share Hospitality just for the stadium and FC Cincinnati fans. Examples include:
- Queen City Eats: Specialty loaded hot dogs and stadium favorites
- Rhine Roost: Signature fried chicken tenders and sandwiches
- The Smokehaus: In-house smoked BBQ concept
- Grab n Go Market: Fresh-made salads, wraps, and refreshments
- Game Day Specials for families
- 25 mobile food and beverage stations along the north, east, and south sides of the concourse
- The West End Stadium dining experience will extend onto the open-air East Plaza on match days, with local partner F&B options, family favorites, domestic, craft, import beer options.
These dining experiences will be accompanied by a roster of favorite restaurants and recognizable names from across the Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana culinary community. Look for more news about West End Stadium’s restaurant partners and bar and club spaces coming soon.
Lion’s Share Hospitality will offer job opportunities for the city’s culinary talent and culinary training opportunities for West End residents.
Lion’s Share Hospitality is powered by Levy’s operational 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. As of the 2021-22 season, Levy’s portfolio will span 11 MLS venue partners including Audi Field in Washington, D.C., and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, among others.
About Lion’s Share Hospitality
Lion’s Share Hospitality is the team of chefs, restaurant and hospitality professionals, and beverage experts crafting every aspect of food, beverage, and hospitality at West End Stadium. The team is powered by the operational expertise of Levy. Lion’s Share Hospitality oversees the experience across concourse and plaza dining, clubs, and suites at West End Stadium, both on match days and for special events.
