Renderings for the planned Paze City Square at Etihad Park. Photo via NYCFC.
New York City FC is welcoming applications for its planned Five Borough Food Hall at Paze City Square, a multifuctional area adjacent to Etihad Park, which is currently undergoing construction at Willets Point.
The club will operate a rotating selection of 10 small businesses in the food hall and is now accepting applications for the inauguration food hall when the stadium opens next year.
Applications will remain available until 11:59 p.m. on July 1, with independent restaurants, neighborhood favorites, and emerging food concepts from across the five boroughs encouraged to apply. Anyone interested in applying can do so here.
NYCFC CEO Brad Sims said the planned food hall will help make Etihad Park a “truly New York experience.”
“New York City is one of the greatest food cities in the world, and we’ve always said that Etihad Park should authentically reflect the culture and creativity of our city,” Sims said in a statement.
Paze City Square will be located just inside Etihad Park’s Cube entrance, offering a gathering space for ticketed fans on matchdays. On non-event days, the space can open to the public via garage doors that connect directly to the surrounding neighborhood.
A Paze City Square selection committee including restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, Legends Global Senior Vice President of Culinary Gretchen Beaumarchais and New York City FC Vice President of Marketing Lauren Scrima will select the final line-up of vendors at the space.
Selected food stalls will participate through a one-year licensing agreement, allowing NYCFC to feature their recipes and menu items within the space. Legends Global, the ffficial food and beverage operating partner of Etihad Park, will manage Paze City Square operations.
Legends Global President of Hospitality Tom Funk said the committee is looking for “authentic voices” that represent the city.
“Alongside New York City FC, we are building an exceptional culinary destination that ensures a world-class experience for every visitor on matchdays and beyond,” Funk said in a statement.
Etihad Park is scheduled to open for the start of the 2027/28 MLS season after the league transitions to a summer-to-spring format next year. NYCFC recently held a topping-out ceremony at the venue to mark the installation of the final beam.
The 25,000-seater stadium will be the first soccer-specific venue in New York City and is located opposite the Citi Field Bull Pen along Seaver Way.
Plans for Etihad Park also include a 2,500-unit affordable housing complex, a 650-seat elementary school, a 250-room hotel, retail space and 40,000 square feet of public open space.
Etihad Park football stadium is scheduled to open in 2027.Courtesy NYC Football Club