Patrón sponsored a pop-up bar in the plaza outside T-Mobile Arena, while Adidas sponsored a pop-up retail store.levy restaurants
While the Vegas Golden Knights upped their game for the NHL playoffs, Levy Restaurants took its concessions and merchandising operations to the next level as well.
For the Knights’ first- and second-round series with the San Jose Sharks, Levy offered new retail, food and drink options at T-Mobile Arena, and boosted its staffing to take advantage of the playoff atmosphere.
The move paid off as the average retail per cap was up about 63 percent for the playoffs, compared to the regular season, while the food and beverage per cap was up about 42 percent, Levy reported.
Jim Kohler, division president of Levy Restaurants, brought in additional staff and managers from other Levy venues in Las Vegas and markets such as Portland and Arizona. Levy increased food and beverage staffing from between 425 and 450 during the regular season to more than 550 for the playoffs. Rank + Rally, Levy’s retail arm, brought in more than 100 workers for the Sharks series, up from 60 to 65 during the regular season, according to Matthew Horvath, Levy’s assistant operations director for premium services at T-Mobile Arena.
Rank + Rally added a pop-up Adidas-themed store in the plaza outside the arena that was open each day throughout the playoff series. Levy and Patrón also built a pop-up bar in the same plaza for the Sharks series. Those went up 24 hours before the series started, Kohler said, to serve fans who hung out throughout the evening outside the arena.
The retail pop-up store offered a jersey section with custom embroidery. “We’ll do 100 jerseys in a day,” said Jared Gery, general manager of retail for Rank + Rally at T-Mobile Arena.
Levy extended hours at the team shop inside the arena and launched personalized poster stands where fans could get their picture taken and superimposed on an 11-by-17-inch poster for $30.
Levy chefs Gilbert Verdugo and Garry DeLucia launched new premium food and cocktail items for the playoffs and Sharks series. Those include: a spicy patty melt and hot dog with pork belly, jalapeno and cucumber slices; prime rib and surf and turf sandwiches; banana chocolate dessert martinis; a special Italian sliced sandwich; steak tenderloin; and a two-level shrimp platter. Levy added a rum, Aperol and fruit juice cocktail, and new ice sculptures both inside and outside the arena.
Verdugo, who is West Coast regional chef for Levy, said the arena looked to emulate and compete with the casinos around the corner. “It’s Las Vegas,” Verdugo said. “We like to show off.”
Should the Knights continue their playoff run, Levy was poised to further boost food, beverage and retail options outside the arena and roll out viewing party activation, to handle the expected larger gatherings.
