USIndoor's Official Magazine is a quarterly publication, dedicated to owners, managers, program administrators and other professionals, startups and providers involved with indoor recreational sports facilities.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/54729
A LESSON IN CONCESSION by Sylvie Green About once a week, my three kids and I have dinner at our local indoor sports facility, the Virginia Beach Field House. The two younger ones have a class from 4 to 5 p.m., during which my older daughter and I do her homework. Afterward, all three of them play at the indoor playground called the Fun Zone. I could limit their play to 30 or 45 minutes in order to drive home in time for dinner (I would be responsible for both preparation and clean up), or we can hang out a little bit longer and eat at the Blue Moon Grille. B ecause I am in the business of indoor sports, my experiences at the Blue Moon Grille have led me to think more and more about concessions at indoor sports facilities. Several years ago, in another part of the country, I watched a friend of mine play soccer at a facility that was not particularly clean—Rubber infill from the turf spilled out onto the walkways, and the limited amount of seating in the form of dirty bleachers was not at all inviting. I did not want to be there, but I had promised my friend I'd watch him play. I walked around, explored the facility, and saw a lighted beer sign up on the mezzanine. Relieved, I climbed the stairs, but, to my dismay, no one was working behind the concession stand. I could not wait for my friend's game to be over so I could leave the facility. The Blue Moon Grille is beautiful and clean. Several people work behind the counter. They all wear matching uniforms and their hair away from their faces. I can buy nachos and ice cream on days I feel like eating junk food, or I can buy a Caesar salad with grilled chicken and a Diet Coke on days I don't. The menu board is well-organized and clear. Last week, my daughter pointed to a picture of a chicken wrap and said, "I want that," so the decision of what to get her was easy. When we got the chicken wrap, it looked just as it did in the picture, with fresh lettuce and tomatoes peaking out from between the chicken and the cheese. She enjoyed eating it, and I appreciated its nutritional value. Simply stated, the ingredients for a successful food and beverage operation at an indoor sports facility are the right blend of quality, service and cost. "Even if you're going to have as simple a food as popcorn, you have to have great popcorn," says Jim Cline, Director of USIndoor's Certified Arena Operator Program and a member of USIndoor's team of professional consultants.