Levy picked to run Sacramento Republic stadium’s F&B

Sacramento Republic has selected Levy to run the food and beverage program at the USL Championship club’s new stadium on a 15-year deal when the venue opens in 2028.

Levy handles F&B at stadiums in MLS (17), the USL Championship (7), and USL League One (4), as well as several NWSL venues.

The deal “underscores the level of commitment as to the quality of this venue,” Republic President Tim Holt said. “This isn’t just another soccer stadium; this is going to be one of the best venues in the country for soccer, other sports, concerts. That’s a competitive space but aspirationally that’s what we’re trying to deliver on here. Details matter.”

California’s Central Valley has an overlooked but interesting food culture, including a hugely diverse population and all the influences that provides, and one of the most productive farming regions in the country, pumping out many of the nation’s fruits and vegetables thanks to an all-year growing season.

“This is probably the biggest farm-to-fork capital,” in the U.S., Levy Chief Commercial Officer Sandeep Satish said. “We have really gone deep looking at some of these partnerships and how we can bring farm-to-fork to not just premium, but general concessions, too.”

Sacramento Republic has selected Levy to run food and beverage for its new stadium that will open in 2028. The club is owned by the Wilton Rancheria tribe, and its native culture will be represented on the stadium’s menu. Sacramento Republic

Sacramento Republic’s road to a new stadium has been a long and windy one, and Levy has been alongside the club for much of it. When Sacramento Republic was selected for an MLS expansion franchise in 2019, the Chicago-based F&B providers were picked by the club to run concessions and premium F&B at the new stadium. The stadium, and a place in MLS, never materialized, though.

After the club was bought by the local Wilton Rancheria tribe, the stadium effort kicked back into life and Levy has been involved since. Sacramento Republic took its business to the market with an RFP, but Levy still emerged as the preferred choice.

“They have been side by side with us in design discussions, showing that enthusiasm to be a part of this and have been patient with us as the club has evolved plans over the last couple of years,” Republic CRO Dustin Vicari said. “It is important that they’re in early. We’re trying to build a stadium today but future-proof it for tomorrow.”

Wilton Rancheria’s involvement with the club only adds to an already interesting regional food story. Its influences will be present on the menu, whether smoked salmon — a staple of California’s Native diets before European contact — as well as wild rice, which grows in abundance locally.

“There is a unique opportunity to pay tribute to the generations behind us,” Vicari said. “Their tribe for many, many years found nourishment at the source of where the stadium is being built.”

Sacramento Republic has selected Levy to run food and beverage for its new stadium that will open in 2028. The club is owned by the Wilton Rancheria tribe, and its native culture will be represented on the stadium’s menu. Sacramento Republic