CREW, HUNTINGTON BANK ADD HUNTINGTON CLUB TO CREW STADIUM AMENITIES Crew Stadium renovation plan to include enclosure of selected suites, Development of the Dominion Homes Kids Zone and Donatos Pizzeria COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew and Huntington Bank have agreed to a long-term partnership that will include the addition of the Huntington Club at Crew Stadium. The addition of the Huntington Club is just one element of Crew Stadium's "Capital Improvement Plan." The Huntington Club, which was previously the open-air Wreck Room, is located on the mezzanine level in the Southeast corner of Crew Stadium and will now be a fully enclosed, climate controlled, high-end hospitality space that will be utilized for exclusive group functions during Crew matches and other stadium events. The Huntington Club will also be available for non-event day activities, meetings and parties. The Huntington Club will be occupied by architecs NBBJ and Corna/Kokosing Constrction for Major League Soccer's Opening Day on Saturday, April 5, at 4 p.m. when the 2002 U.S. Open Cup Champion Crew battle the defending MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy. The dedication for the Huntington Club will take place on May 10, which is Huntington Bank night at the stadium. The Huntington Club demonstrates Huntington's commitment to the Central Ohio community, while providing a logical brand extension of the Huntington Club concept to three premier sports facilities, Ohio Stadium, the Jerome Schottenstein Center and Crew Stadium. "As the hometown bank, it's important for us to invest in our community," said Jim Kunk, Central Region President, Huntington Bank. "We're proud to continue our longstanding partnership with the Columbus Crew and to support the development of the Huntington Club at Crew Stadium." Huntington, an original partner of The Crew since its inception in 1996, is a cornerstone partner of the team. A cornerstone partner has entitlement to one of the four corners of the stadium each of which feature significant in-stadium and community elements. In addition to the Huntington Club, Huntington's partnership makes it the Official Financial Services Provider of The Crew, and also includes commercial units in both Crew television and radio broadcasts and grass-roots community outreach programs like the Financial Literacy Program for Youth. "The Columbus Crew is fortunate to have a large number of fantastic partners that share our vision of being the leader of professional soccer in this country," said Crew President/General Manager Jim Smith. "Through the commitment of Huntington Bank, we are able to create a one of a kind 'Huntington Club' that will once again position The Crew as an innovator in professional soccer. The Huntington Club will be an incredible hospitality space on game day and be a special club for soccer fans on non-game days. As The Crew proved last year by hosting the World Cup Viewing Parties, there is a need for a place for soccer fans to gather and call their own and the Huntington Club at Crew Stadium will become that place." Another ongoing project is the enclosure of selected suites in the stadium. The new suites are priced at $22,500 (12 seats), $25,000 (14 seats) and $30,000 (18 seats), and will include tickets to all stadium events. Lease commitments are for 3, 5 and 7-year terms. Suite pricing also includes a 7 percent, 4 percent and 2 percent escalator for each lease year, respectively. "Crew Stadium's initial design has proven very functional and successful, especially from the soccer fan's perspective," said Crew Stadium General Manager Mark McCullers. "We do, however, constantly generate project ideas that will enhance the facility and solidify our reputation for years to come. Corporate and community partners, such as Huntington Bank, have paved the way for us to provide the features and amenities that our clients and fans have requested and deserve." The Dominion Homes Kids Zone will be located just off the Crew Kicker Plaza adjacent to the stadium's East concourse. It will be a new, interactive children's play area with playground equipment. It will also be available for game-day birthday parties featuring Donatos pizza. Columbus-based Dominion Homes is an official team partner of The Crew and the Official Homebuilder of The Crew. Their partnership will also include stadium scoreboard signage and other grass-roots community outreach programs. A Donatos Pizzeria will also be a new feature at Crew Stadium. It will be located in the Southeast corner lower concourse and provide Donatos signature pizza. Donatos pizza will also be available in two other permanent stadium concession stands and in the stadium suits and loges. Donatos Pizza, like Dominion Homes, is also a new partner of the Columbus Crew beginning in 2003. Donatos Pizza will be the Official Pizza Company of The Crew and other key elements of the partnership will be the in-stadium signage and promotional marketing programs. Highlights and Details of Crew Stadium's Huntington Club * 5,500 square feet * Banquet seating capacity 125 * Reception capacity 250+ * Flexible space with various configuration possibilities and uses. * Adjacent mezzanine terrace seats 125 in amphitheatre style with unique field view. * Field view full height window wall 'mirrors' the stadium VIP terrace * Plaza view full height window wall looks onto Crew Kicker Plaza with dramatic southern view of Columbus skyline. * Huntington Club anticipated use: exclusive group hospitality for Crew matches and other stadium events; marquee international soccer matches and U.S. National Team viewing parties; Crew away game parties; business meetings and functions; birthday and other parties * Athletic Mind Institute Partnership - Crew Stadium is partnering with Crew team sport and psychologist Dr. Todd Kays to develop a unique corporate training program and environment. Corporate executives could participate in Dr. Kays corporate team building session in the Huntington Club and then extend the team building practical application to the Crew Stadium field in the form of soccer drills and strategy. * Aramark Sports and Entertainment is preparing a special Huntington Club catering menu. Aramark is the exclusive caterer of Crew Stadium and other sports venues such as Heinz Field and PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and Conseco Field House in Indianapolis amongst others worldwide. * The Huntington Club color pallet will include a variety of greens in the Huntington National Bank tradition, gold from the Columbus Crew and blue. * The Huntington Club design embraces the Crew and Crew Stadium industrial theme while providing luxury accents and comfort. * Private men's and wome's restroom facilities. * Full service kitchen facilities. Highlights and Details of Crew Stadium's Suites * Suite amenities will include: * Heating/Air conditioning. * Cable Television. * Upgraded custom casework with refrigerator, coat storage and lockable personal storage. * Carpeting. * Corian countertops. * Glazed window system allowing complete view of the field and stadium exterior. * Clear story window system on suite rear wall to allow maximum natural light. * Outdoor premium seating to capture the event experience. * Indoor 'bar' seating. * Upgraded interior décor. * Three VIP parking spaces for Black and Silver Suites. * Four VIP parking spaces for Gold Suites. * Tickets to all stadium events.
Nothing too big, just a few fixes to make it more "comfotable" to those who really pay for it. So will the club be as nice as the one Charleston has, it my question... Maybe now with the windows in the VIP seats Garcia will have no more excuses being a lazy Crew fan. Can't spill beer on the Prez if you're enclosed...
butts in seats.... then more butts in expanded crew stadium, then the roof. and it sounds like the club will be as nice as the one in Charleston.. of course, us common-folk will be able to look, but no entry. Maybe it was just the spring-time winds, but I may have heard something about TVs in Crew Stadium... maybe it was for concession stands??
Sounds like good work. Although I'm a little upset about the Wreck Room. Where do I go now for Rum and Cokes and good beer?
they had rum and good beer in the wreck room??? figures i didn't know about it, i think my last time in it was 2000 family picnic.
Yes it was. The wreck room sold Broon Ale, Heineken (among others beers) and mixed drinks. BTW, the beer in the wreck room only cost $.25 more than the Crud serves in the stands (but they didn't give you the bottle to use as a projectile).
They had a bar with liquer and Guinnes, Corona, Sam Addams, ect in there. That's where I would go with about 20-30 minutes till game time. Does anyone know who I could write to, to see if they are going to have a bar like that for plebians such as my self in a different area in the stadium?
All I care for is that the bar in this new club serves decent beer and has some atmosphere. Will it be taking the place of that picnic area or whatever near the south goal? Maybe we'll see seating expansion there in future...
This is a massive deal, read between the lines here with me, this is going to be the place to go to watch away matches. It'll probably be the place to watch all US matches. Take it one step further, it might be reasonable if this is sucessful to one day have EPL, UEFA, and EURO 2004. This is one of a few things that we've been asking for since day one. Tip of the hat, I'm so happy to be a supporter of the number one team and organization in MLS. Yeah they may hiccup here and there, but overall the results speak for themselves. Now we just need the team to bring home some more silverware.
(Shhhhhhhh. Don't let hang hear that you could also score a decent G & T over there) So the richass yuppies will now have a new place to feel superior as they stand around holding cocktails? Oh joy. Thanks so much, Huntington Bank. And you'll even let the unwashed masses come in sometimes as long as there's no actual soccer going on? You guys are so very, very, generous. And more $25,000 luxury suites??? Boy, I've been waiting and waiting. Thought you guys would NEVER get around to enclosing those things so you didn't have to smell the rest of us. We're not very clean, after all. Thank God. And a PLAYGROUND!!! How wonderful. Now the yuppies can watch their little noseminers play on the slides and ignore the game COMPLETELY. What a community service. The only thing in all this for soccer fans is that they've changed the brand of Pizza. Well, I happen to like Donatos. So the New Albany crowd gets an exclusive club, enclosed suites and a playspace for their demonspawn to infect. The rest of us lose the only place a non-bigshot could buy a fukkin cocktail and get a couple slices of pepperoni. Thanks for nothing, Jimmy.
Huntington club is taking over the entire wreck deck. Party on the Pitch is expected to stay the entire 2003 season. It's used for group hospitality, so i'm not expecting it to go. And at this point, we really don't need seats there, IMO.
Yes. This is exactly it. Most likely, the official home of 2003 away Crew games. And maybe other games that are on the same day as Crew away games. If there's more MLS after a crew home game (crew at 4, other games at 7:30 or 10, or crew at 7:30 and other games at 10 or 10:30, etc..), i'd like for them to open, but i don't think that's gonna happen. But it does look like Crew away games (and maybe other games that day, and maybe even other mls games when crew are off) could be seen at crew stadium's huntington club.
I could care less what they do with this place on game day, I've already got plans and a schedule on that day, it's when Crew are out of town that there is a need. I'd much rather give my money to Crew versus Thistle or Brazenhead. My only question is, will they charge normal bar prices at away matches, or will the charge the $5 a bud price that we see at Crew games. Either way, the flask still finds it's way in.
Zak or Kryp, Do you know who I would e-mail to find if they are going to put in a new bar area for regular Crew fans to replace the Wreck Room?
That makes a lot of sense Zak. If you are correct, though, would this mean no more visits to the Thistle?
aye. hopefully they'll become THE place for all games. (epl, spanish, german, italian, whatever the hell else... hell, maybe some open cup games in addition to MLS) i'd imagine normal bar prices, but i'm guessing. and what's up with no thistle? did you all drink the beer taps dry?
Yeah, what happened Zak? At first you couldn't get enough of the Thistle... it was like your crack rock.
I'm surprised you have the time to do food reviews, Peter. Bitching about my signature over on the Mod boards would seem to be a full time job for you.