The owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury have announced they are moving from longtime restaurant operator Levy Restaurants to partner with Oak View Group’s food and beverage division, OVG Hospitality.
The group has already taken over operations at Footprint Center at 201 E Jefferson Street earlier this month, according to Phoenix Business Journal. The change comes after the Suns’ deal with Levy Restaurants was set to expire and reflects an overall attempt for something different after new Mat Ishbia purchased the Suns and Mercury teams in February 2023. Levy Restaurants will continue to operate food and beverage services at Chase Field, Phoenix Raceway, and Desert Diamond Arena.
“Our commitment is to continue to find innovative ways to invest in our community and put forth our championship mentality in everything we do, on and off the floor,” Ishbia said in a statement. “From the moment fans walk through our doors, we want every part of their game-day experience to be world-class and something they can only have in Phoenix – the best basketball city in the world.”
OVG Hospitality was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. The group acquired food-and-beverage provider Spectra in 2021, followed by the addition of Spectrum Concession in North America the next year. Suns’ CEO Josh Bartelstein tells the Business Journal that some differences include an overhaul of the current menu, a rotating specialty cocktail menu, new technology, and experiential elements like chefs walking around the club level.
“One of the key ways you can impact fan experience is with the food and beverage offerings,” Bartelstein told the Business Journal. “We are going with someone that is new to this game. They are going to look at things differently and truly making it a transformative experience for our fans. We will be fluid, and we’re going to make sure that when you come to our game, you’re not getting the same type of thing every single night. We’re very confident that we’ll have that type of flexibility that when you come here, things don’t look the same two nights in a row.”
