As one the largest food purveyors and food service distributors in the Northeast, Ace Endico knows what it means to go big. Each day, the company's ubiquitous trucks deploy from a 100,000-square-foot facility in Brewster, New York, delivering wares throughout the region to Ace Endico's diverse clientele, everything from fine dining restaurants, hotels, and country clubs to schools, camps, stadiums, and health care facilities.
So when the family-run company needed a place to host its annual food tasting event in which hundreds of vendors interface with thousands of customers, it sought a venue of equal stature. It settled on a local spot familiar throughout the world: Yankee Stadium.
The home of the 27-time world champion New York Yankees might not be the first location that comes to mind for corporate event planners, but the 9-year-old stadium has proven to be a winning attraction for more than just baseball. With a wide array of space options for hosting groups of people comfortably and during any time of year, Yankee Stadium has become a destination for meetings, conferences, trade shows, and other events not usually associated with a major league ballpark.
"Yankee Stadium was built with year-round events in mind. Our venue allows our clients to host distinctly unique events with all the amenities of a modern facility at their fingertips," said Emily Hamel, vice president of events and brand experiences.
Those endless possibilities were on full display this September, when Ace Endico's tasting event transformed the Field Level concourse into a veritable bazaar. Ambling among dozens of displays, guests sampled fine foods that were a far cry from peanuts and Cracker Jack. As a woman dressed in a mermaid costume ushered folks toward one table displaying whole fish packed in ice, the aromas of fresh basil and lobster bisque emanated from others. And right behind those tables, the pristine green diamond where the Yankees play sparkled like a jewel.
Standing in the Legends Suite Club beneath portraits of Yankees greats like Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, Ace Endico marketing manager Laura Endico-Verzello smiled as she watched Mariano Rivera greet guests and pose for pictures on the concourse outside.
"It's quite a space," said Endico-Verzello, whose father, William,
co-founded Ace Endico with Murray Hertzberg in 1982. "I think that it's a great experience for our customers."
In addition to mingling with Yankees greats, guests attending a corporate event at Yankee Stadium can expect to come away with memories that can't be formed anywhere else. There's a break in the meetings? Go and visit Monument Park in center field, where the greatest Yankees in history are honored. Then take a look up and see your name displayed on the 100-foot-wide HD video board, or stop and take a photo with an actual
World Series trophy. Even smaller touches like receiving "tickets" rather than I.D. badges make for an unforgettable day. The Yankees pride themselves on making the gameday experience at Yankee Stadium the best in baseball, and that commitment to excellence remains when the team is away.
"The [event] staff is beyond accommodating, knowledgeable, professional, and easy to work with," Endico-Verzello said. "We have a very comfortable relationship with the Yankees. We have kind of the same philosophy in a lot of ways, so when we tie together, it's a very easy transition because we work so well together."
For more information about hosting your next event at Yankee Stadium, please visit mlb.com/yankees/ballpark/events.
