CITY CENTER ANNOUNCES SPORTS & SOCIAL AS NEWEST TENANT IN DOWNTOWN ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
City Center Investment Corp., the real estate development company revitalizing downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Sports & Social announced today that the nationally acclaimed dining and entertainment concept will join the best-in-class mix of offices, apartments, retail, restaurants, arts, and entertainment in downtown Allentown, Pa. Sports & Social is scheduled to open in Spring 2022 at 645 Hamilton St. in the Two City Center building on Center Square.
Sports & Social is a highly curated collection of venues by Live! Dining & Entertainment, which also operates Xfinity Live! and Live! Casino & Hotel in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Recognized as a leader in the food and beverage industry, Live! Dining & Entertainment is one of the largest and most successful developers and operators of restaurant and entertainment concepts in the United States.
Sports & Social’s portfolio of venues can be found at the front door of professional sports stadiums, high-profile entertainment and lifestyle districts and world-class casino resort destinations nationwide including The Battery adjacent to Truist Park in Atlanta; Ballpark Village adjacent to Busch Stadium in St. Louis; Texas Live! in the Arlington Entertainment District; Live! Casino Pittsburgh; Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and more. The Sports & Social in downtown Allentown will be Pennsylvania’s third location.
“Attracting the national brand Sports & Social to downtown Allentown validates the amazing revitalization of this great city,” said Judy Borrelli, City Center’s chief operating officer. “We’re thrilled to turn this prime location over to the experts at Sports & Social and offer Allentown’s residents, professionals, and visitors a brand new and exciting experience.”
Sports & Social will offer guests an elevated food and beverage menu of made-from-scratch game day favorites, curated cocktails and specialty drinks, and a beer selection of local and national brews. The venue will feature a variety of special events including a can’t-miss brunch experience on Saturdays and Sundays. Brunch showcases its infamous #brunchtails table drinks and menu favorites such as avocado toast, savory breakfast skillets, and signature Chicken & Bliss.
The 8,000-square-foot venue will feature live music and entertainment throughout the week and one of the best sports watching experiences in the region with its premier game-day Sports Watch activations. Outfitted with state-of-the-art AV technology, the space will boast an impressive LED display at its centerpiece that will allow guests to enjoy multiple games and sporting events at once. Additionally, an expansive patio on Center Square across from PPL Center will provide an incredible outdoor space for al fresco dining and socializing with friends and family.
“City Center is one of the premier real estate development companies in the country and we are honored to work with them to add downtown Allentown to our Sports & Social portfolio,” stated Scott Steenrod, Chief Operating Officer of Live! Dining & Entertainment. “Sports & Social is the perfect combination of incredible food, great entertainment and state-of-the-art sports viewing all in an upscale setting. While the concept has become one of the top places to gather around the country, we take great pride in ensuring that each location is specifically curated from the interior design to our menu selection and live music from regional and local acts.”
Each location of Sports & Social has been uniquely designed with careful attention to every detail by some of the highest profile firms in the world including ICRAVE, Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers International and Knauer Incorporated. The interior and patio of the new Sports & Social in Allentown is being redesigned by internationally acclaimed Knauer Incorporated under the direction of Mark Knauer who has created some of country’s top destinations in dining, hospitality, and entertainment.
"Whether you're stopping by with your family before a game or concert at PPL Center, socializing with friends and colleagues after work, or simply seeking an energized setting to view your favorite televised sporting event, Sports & Social in downtown Allentown will deliver an unmatched first-class dining and entertainment experience," said Jarrett Laubach, City Center’s director of leasing.
Downtown Allentown’s Sports & Social will be in the space currently occupied by The Hamilton Kitchen & Bar, which is owned by City Center. The developer will close The Hamilton in December 2021 after seven years at the location and will work closely with Sports & Social to ensure employees of The Hamilton are given first priority for hiring.
For project updates, follow @CityCenterAllentown on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.citycenterallentown.com.
About Sports & Social
Sports & Social is a powerhouse collection of dining and entertainment venues that offers its guests an upscale food and beverage, sports viewing and social experience. Each venue boasts state-of-the-art AV technology showcasing the top sports events year-round, a wide variety of interactive social games, and live music and events throughout the week that is specially curated for each location. Sports & Socials are located nationwide in high-profile entertainment districts, world-class casino resort destinations, and at the front door of professional sports stadiums around the country. The concept was developed and is operated by Live! Dining & Entertainment, a division of The Cordish Companies. Recognized as a leader in the food and beverage industry, Live! Dining & Entertainment is one of the largest and most successful developers and operators of restaurants and entertainment concepts in the United States. Sports & Social is experiencing significant growth and continues to expand nationwide.
About City Center Allentown
City Center Allentown is a major mixed-use development that is helping transform downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania, into one of America’s most vibrant urban communities and a regional center of excellence for business, culture and city living. With Allentown’s new arena, PPL Center, at its core, City Center includes 3 million square feet among five Class A office towers, the Renaissance Allentown Hotel, nine residential buildings, upscale retail, and restaurant space and a coworking space called Velocity. City Center’s total investment in downtown Allentown is nearly $800 million, with another $138 million in the planning stages. In 2017, the Downtown Allentown Revitalization District was honored with a Global Award of Excellence by the Urban Land Institute (ULI).