Foodservice Equipment & Supplies

JUN 2017

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazines is an industry resource connecting foodservice operators, equipment and supplies manufacturers and dealers, and facility design consultants.

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parting shot "Parting Shot'' is a monthly opinion column written on a rotating basis by guest authors. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of FE&S.; 104 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • JUNE 2017 Operators turn to modular mobile stations that they can combine in different footprints to fit into unusual places. By Dan Gallery V President Gallery Greenwood Village, Colo. dvgallery@gallerycarts.com Mobile Stations F rom professional sports stadiums to college and high school arenas, facility building continues to be a huge business. Between 2000 and 2010, more than 45 sports stadiums were either built or renovated at an average cost of $412 million each, according to a study from NCSL (the National Conference of State Legislatures). Add to that new and up- graded concert venues, ballparks, or other entertainment sites and it becomes easy to understand how experts estimate the market size to be more than $50 billion. Building or renovating arenas and stadiums requires an extensive amount of upfront capital with the promise of returns over the course of many years. Skeptics often question, however, whether a new stadium is worth the investment. To maxi- mize the potential revenue of a new facility and recoup costs as quickly as possible, sta- dium design must allow operators to adapt to audience needs and easily accommodate different uses. Design Gone are the days of the traditional hot dog cart. Instead, many operators use mobile stations with modern materials that elevate the overall appearance and align with the aesthetics of the designated facility. For ex- ample, when renovating Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, a main goal was to create carts that reflected the state's history and culinary traditions. Consequently, carts were created featuring bases inspired by keg barrels. Configuration Another way mobile stations provide important flexibility to stadiums is their ability to fit into unique spaces. Stadiums often have empty or underutilized areas. Operators turn to modular mobile stations that they can combine in different foot- prints to fit into unusual places. In this way, mobile stations transform blank areas into revenue-producing locations. Food Concessions and merchandise are important revenue streams for sporting and entertain- ment venues. Therefore, operators constant- ly look for new ways to augment standard food fare with unique items that meet the particular demands of visitors. Yet, offering new menu items can be expensive and risky. Mobile stations reduce this risk by not only making it possible to place unique food in otherwise dead spaces, but they can easily be reconfigured to accommodate different food options should a menu item have lower volume demand. For example, a station could serve sausage one day and transform over- night to serve Philly Cheesesteaks the next. Statistics show that viewing entertainment and sporting events from home is on the rise and is considered a major threat to venue attendance. To attract spectators and keep them coming back, stadium operators must give them what they want, when they want it and where they want it. Whether it is opti- mizing all floor spaces or varying food options to find the ideal offerings, mobile stations provide the ultimate flexibility that facilities need. Advancements bring flexibility and profits to modern stadiums.

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