MGR Bests Aramark, Centerplate To Keep Georgia Dome Deal

MGR Food Services on Tuesday was awarded a new seven-year contract, worth an estimated $600,000-800,000 annually, to provide concessions at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park, according to Nancy Badertscher of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. MGR has owned concession rights since the mid-80s and had “not had to compete for the work in at least a decade.” But the Georgia World Congress Center Authority this spring decided to put the contract up for bid with Aramark and Centerplate emerging as the other finalists. GWCC spokesperson Katy Pando said of the bid prices, “In certain scenarios, Aramark really seemed to be the front-runner. In others, it was Centerplate, but MGR seems to provide the most consistency. All three bettered what we currently have, so we certainly improved.” Pando said that the food and drink business at the venues is “about $30[M] a year gross and about $9.5[M] after expenses” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/29). GWCC Minority Business Coordinator Richard Sawyer said MGR’s proposal “highlighted the resources and business expertise” of Levy Restaurants, which has a financial stake in MGR. SportsBusiness Journal’s Don Muret notes in a special to THE DAILY that Compass Group, which owns 49% of Levy, is also mentioned in the proposal (THE DAILY).