Aramark Sports + Entertainment finds the secret to elevated visitor experience

Aramark Sports + Entertainment serves more than 100 award-winning food and beverage, retail, and facility service programs in premier stadiums, arenas, and convention centers across North America. Collectively, these locations serve millions of people each year. In order to manage the wear and tear that intense usage causes, and to stay ahead of changing consumer tastes and preferences, Aramark Sports + Entertainment has to maintain a near-constant regime of renovations and upgrades throughout its portfolio.

Over the years, the company has enlisted help from JLL Project and Development Services (PDS) on several of these projects on a case-by-case basis, including exciting renovations to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.

JLL partnered with Aramark Sports + Entertainment to upgrade all food concessions and build high-end luxury suite space. In addition to project management, JLL assisted with vendor and general contractor procurement and kitchen equipment coordination. The $16 million project had ambitious diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals, requiring all purchasing be conducted through women- and minority-owned businesses. Additionally, the client was an active collaborator with discerning taste and attention to detail, and the JLL team was committed to the timely procurement of specialized materials and design features to meet their needs.

The project was completed on time and under budget, and a cost analysis showed that working with JLL saved Aramark Sports + Entertainment more than $2.5 million. The successful outcome resulted in the establishment of a more formal relationship between Aramark Sports + Entertainment and JLL for all of the company’s capital investment projects being handled with the Aramark Sports + Entertainment team.

Over the past three and a half years, JLL has been the project manager for 11 Aramark Sports + Entertainment projects worth $70 million, all of which have been a resounding success. Additional assignments include the renovations to outlets at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and full project management services for Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. The secret to that success has been early collaboration and an approach that’s effective and replicable but also customizable.

“Being involved earlier in the process has allowed projects to run faster and more smoothly as compared to JLL being brought on later,” said Project Manager Ben Milley. “Although each project involves different clients and contractors, a lot of the stakeholders are similar, including architects and designers. That allows us to follow the same general game plan for each project, rather than reinventing the wheel every time.”

An important component of the Aramark Sports + Entertainment-JLL process is a review of key learnings from past projects. These shared experiences and familiarity allow the teams to quickly mobilize on new projects, which is especially important when you must abide by sports, entertainment and convention schedules. The JLL and Aramark Sports + Entertainment teams collaborate closely to develop a customized and transparent plan, which enables us to effectively manage project status. This includes strategies to mitigate risks, optimize cost savings for the client, ensure the critical path of the project remains on schedule, and implement precautionary measures to limit any potential exposure for the Aramark Sports + Entertainment team during the project.

“JLL has been a reliable and trusted partner of ours for years. Their guidance in areas beyond our expertise has been invaluable, and together, our partnership has played a pivotal role in the successful completion of numerous renovation projects.”

Jamie Slotterback, VP, Strategy + CXD

JLL PDS is now in the midst of a $14 million project to upgrade food and beverage concessions at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center, home of the NBA’s Spurs. That work will be completed in the fall, prior to the start of the new season, and future work at the facility includes the enhancement of the retail outlets.

There is an exciting, active pipeline of future work stemming from the Aramark Sports + Entertainment-JLL relationship— a testament to the power of results and successful, repeatable processes. Aramark Sports + Entertainment can now bring enhanced spectator and visitor experiences to the country’s most high-profile venues, quickly and reliably.