Generator Studio partnered with a national concessionaire to brainstorm opportunities for new food service concepts within Benchmark International Arena. The arena, home to the Tampa Bay Lightning, was analyzed top to bottom, which led to a series of expanded and rebranded concessions.
Goals for the project included: unifying the scattered and dissimilar concessions throughout the arena, providing new high-end food options to club and suite ticket holders, and recognizing opportunities for amenities to engage the site and public year-round. The design resulted in a series of concepts that responded to the existing arena architecture, the surrounding context, and the culture and food native to Tampa.
The design solution centered on rebranding all stand-alone concessions to a kit of parts that could respond to the individual food provider through accent materials and signage, while presenting a consistent visual. For club and suite ticket holders, a series of districts were proposed to increase the quality and variety of available foods.
Beverage service was also analyzed, and proposed to be renovated to a series of themed bars on public concourses. An in-arena micro-brewery was proposed opposite stage end, as well as a 2,000 SF new exterior beer garden above the previously-renovated arena entry off Thunder Alley.