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Meeting spaces that score: Air Canada Centre and Real Sports Bar & Grill
July 15, 2011
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Real Sports Bar & Grill, just a brief walk from the ACC, exudes the rush and excitement of a sporting event in itself.

By Sandra Eagle

Mixing business with pleasure can sometimes be a good idea, especially when the mixture involves business and sports. Take for instance the Air Canada Centre (ACC). Home to a couple of little teams called the Maple Leafs and the Raptors. Even though sports fans across the country might call them the teams they love to hate, their pied-a-terre also doubles as a meeting venue that is a little off the radar.

The adage “Go big or go home,” would certainly apply to meetings convened in the ACC. Mary Jane Baxter, manager of catering and special events, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Inc., (MLSE) says most meetings there are “either really big or rather small, although we can handle some smaller events.”  Another little company you may have heard of, Microsoft, used the ACC bowl in 2004. “Microsoft had their delegate breakfast and keynote speaker address in the ACC bowl for three consecutive days,” says Baxter. “It took quite a bit of planning to feed 7,000 people all at once. Basically buffets were set up around the concourse levels and people would help themselves before going into the bowl to hear the speaker.”
 

  

One of the challenges for event hosting in the ACC is the possible conflicts with the sporting schedules of the home teams. Although Leaf fans haven’t had to think about playoffs in June for some time now, Baxter says the schedules for basketball and hockey are released in July, so she knows then what dates are already gone. The ACC does not host events on game days since the days are spent getting the space ready for the game that night. Usually the summer is not as busy, “I usually have a window of six to eight weeks for booking meeting space,” she says, but sometimes she can book farther out than that, between June to September. Microsoft has already booked its space for the next city-wide conference in Toronto, expected to attract 15,000 delegates in 2012.

For smaller groups of 150 to 400, three restaurants and the Smirnoff Icebox are available for receptions or board meetings. 

The Platinum Club, the Air Canada Club and the Hot Stove restaurants can be utilized for groups who want to feel a part of the sporting vibe at the ACC. The Hot Stove in particular features a treasure trove of hockey memorabilia. The three restaurants are reserved during game nights for different levels of season ticket holders. So this is an option for sports-minded groups who wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to experience the ambience of the space. The Platinum Club was recently renovated, and features the culinary expertise of executive chef Chris Zielinski.

Real Sports Bar & Grill, just a brief walk from the ACC, exudes the rush and excitement of a sporting event in itself. Voted the best sports bar in North America by EPSN, the spot is quickly filled up on a Thursday by the time the noon hour crowd arrives. Rosie Scavuzzo, special events and sales manager for Real Sports Bar & Grill, MLSE, says she hosts corporate groups ranging from 30 to 40 people to 1,000 plus. “The majority of events we do occupies the 300 to 400 person range. The versatility of our space is what really impresses a planner,” she says, as the restaurant features nooks and crannies, elevated platforms and a set of function rooms on the second floor that are surrounded by clear railings, which makes it easier to see the 199 flat screen HD TVs and the monstrous 39 ft. diagonal HD TV above the bar.

Scavuzzo says “we still haven’t utilized that screen to its full capacity. If planners do a buy-out of the space, you can use all of our screens for your messaging, branding and logos. Anything can be flashed on our screens, upstairs and down, the screens follow you everywhere.” 

Scavuzzo explains: “We’ve just renovated our Garden’s Room, which is the only space upstairs that is completely separate from the restaurant and bar area, we can do theatre-style for 100, and classroom style for 50. We have an HD projector, and we’re one of the only locations in Toronto that has a Smart Board, (an interactive piece of AV technology).

The beauty of the space she says is the built in entertainment value of the restaurant, and the food. “Every little detail has been worked out to determine what’s the best of the best, we tried ten different types of potatoes before we decided which one was the best type for our fries.” In fact, director of culinary and executive chef Robert Bartley and vice-president of food & beverage of MLSE, Michael Doyle spent six months crisscrossing the country eating the best and worst of sports bar food before they decided on what they would serve at Real Sports Bar & Grill.

Scavuzzo adds the draw for corporate meetings here is the entertainment value. “The bar essentially is the entertainment for our clients, they don’t have to bring in any additional entertainment, that’s one less thing planners have to worry about. ‘I can say to them, book your meeting this day, the Leafs are playing Montreal, do your meetings and then stay and watch the game on the 39 ft.-screen. It’s like your watching it live, that’s why we call it the arena.”

For a buy-out situation, Scavuzzo says the two levels are transformed, as most of the table and chairs are removed and the space opens up for stand-up receptions. “We’ve done galas for LG, Major League Soccer, and season ticket holders for the ACC. We place elaborate food stations both upstairs and down because the see-through railings give a feeling of openness.” Scavuzzo can hardly wait for an upcoming event that will feature Cirque du Soleil acrobats.

For this year’s Stanley Cup finals, clients were calling in advance to book suites. “It’s a great networking opportunity spending three to four hours with clients, in a setting where you can walk around and engage with them.”

Filed under: Unique Venues

 

 

 

  
 
 
 
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