Category Archives: Sporting Events

Fall Gold Cup!

Posted on October 22, 2012 | Leave a comment

We headed out to The Plains in Virginia on Saturday for the 75th running of the International Gold Cup. Thousands came for a day of horse racing and tailgating. We snapped some of the second place winners for Best Tailgate with their Hunger Games-theme: Roberta, Lindsay and George Santoro (representing Effie, Katniss, and President Snow) with Laurie Ewing and Jessica Nachman  (members of the Capitol).

URS Corp’s Jeff Diguette, Louis Vuitton’s Alexandra Covert, and Baltimore Sound Stage’s Justin Van Buren in their fall finest.

Politico’s Daryl Muller, MedStar’s Cait Brennan, and Dickstein Shapiro’s Sarah McKenna.

Here’s a closer look at the Hunger Games tailgate as well as some other unofficial recognition from the judges.

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(An abbreviated version of this story was published in the Bisnow’s The Scene on 10.22.12)

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Citi Open Grows With New Title Sponsor, More Matches, Bigger Venue

Posted on August 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

The crowd stood around the perimeter of the exhibition kitchens to watch the chefs prepare the two courses, the first of which needed to include crab and the second, skirt steak.

The Citi Open, formerly the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, expanded its event footprint, audience, and number of matches this year with the addition of a Women’s Tennis Association event in conjunction with the all-male Association of Tennis Professionals tournament. With more than 100 matches scheduled from July 30-August 5, organizers built two addition grandstands on the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center property in Rock Creek Park.

“We had our inaugural Citi Open last year with a W.T.A. event in College Park, not in combination with the men’s event,” said special events manager Lily Fardshisheh. “Citi is relatively new to the sport of tennis, and as a sponsor of the Olympics, their brand ambassadors are really looking into the sports industry in general. And because they were interested in the men’s event as well, it was a perfect fit.”

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The temporary grandstands took B&K Rentals about a week to erect and can seat 2,500 and 1,500 people each. Combined with the 7,500-seat main stadium, the tournament is expected to host nearly 72,000 spectators throughout its nine days of matches and pre-tournament events. The attendance is on par with previous years despite some top talent being unavailable this year because of the Summer Olympics.

Outside of the tennis itself, the grounds of the center offer entertainment and relaxation options from more than 50 sponsors. Citi, Lexus, and Corona all have on-site tents with video and radio feeds of the matches, ping-pong tables, and Adirondack beach chairs, respectively.

The grounds also hosted post-match special events each night. On Monday, Top Chef star Bryan Volaggio and Victor Albisu, formerly of BLT Steak, participated in an Iron Chef-style competition with Albisu walking away the winner by just a half-point margin. Tuesday night Corona Extra hosted its signature Alumni Night party with tailgate favorites like corn hole, beef sliders, pretzel bites, and corn on the cob. The nighttime festivities continue Thursday with a wine tasting from Epic Cellars sponsored by Lexus. Saturday Geico will sponsor a Military Appreciation day with military personnel receiving free admission before the tournament wraps up on Sunday.

(Originally published 8.1.12 in BizBash)

**Photos: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography

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Tailgate at the Tennis!

Posted on August 1, 2012 | Leave a comment

Night two of Citi Open we went to Corona Extra’s Alumni Night, a tailgate-themed party, in the hospitality tent on the Rock Creek Park grounds hosted by 99.5’s Sarah Fraser. Corona girls greeted guests with branded snap koozies.

We snapped Community Pool Service’s Patrick O’Reilly, Crowell & Moring’s Christina Janco, and FINRA’s Vlad Khmarsky at one of the two beach bars with a beverage in their new koozies (now you know what it is).

Kettler’s Asheel Shah, Deloitte’s Tom Buckley, Keane Enterprises Andy Shuckra, and JBG’s Kai Reynolds.
(Originally published 8.1.12 in The Scene Bisnow)

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Posted in Marketing Events, Sporting Events

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Serving It Up!

Posted on August 1, 2012 | 1 Comment


The Citi Open, previously known as the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, kicked off on Monday in Rock Creek Park. The tennis players weren’t the only ones serving it up, as the hospitality tent hosted the third annual Chef Challenge. We snapped chefs Bryan Voltaggio (Top Chef) and Victor Albisu (formerly of BLT Steak) going head-to-head, creating a course with two required ingredients: crab and skirt steak. Victor won by half a point.


Teaching Strategies’ Tim Reed, Deloitte’s Alanna Hanson, Patch’s Renna Ballard and APX Labs’ Brian Ballard.


On the main court, we snapped Monument Realty’s Pam Zandy, Lockton Investment Advisors’ Nathalie Wilburn, Monument’s Tasha Stancill, and Curry’s Auto Service’s Matt and Judy Curry.

(Originally published in The Scene Bisnow on 7.31.12)

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Posted in Foodie Events, Sporting Events

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SneakerBall Attendance and Fund-Raising Dollars Dip, Earthquake Affects Event Layout

Posted on September 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

(Originally published 9.16.11 in BizBash Washington)

Dance teams for the Washington-area professional sports teams like the Redskins, Capitals, and Wizards performed on a small stage throughout the reception.


Local athletes and Washingtonians once again donned their black-tie best with sneakers on Tuesday night, for the Greater Washington Sports Alliance’s eighth annual SneakerBall. The gala experienced a drop in attendance to 600, down from 800 last year, and overall fund-raising dollars, bringing in $500,000, nearly $100,000 less than 2010. The organization credits the declines to residual effects of the recession.

“Last year we managed to have a year off [from economic effects] and continue to grow in the same direction as the previous year, but we started to feel the economic downfall this year,” said manager of special events and initiatives Daniella Levy. “We had fewer number of sponsors overall, but some did come in at higher levels.” Capital One, SunTrust, Red Bull, and Morgan Franklin were among the returning sponsors.

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The event returned to the National Building Museum, though grappled with last-minute layout changes due to the earthquake a few weeks ago, which caused damage to the venue and delayed clearance for lighting rigging. The equipment restrictions forced organizers to move the main stage and rethink the lighting scheme. Atmosphere Lighting set up its spotlights on the second floor of the museum across the grand atrium. Blue and orange uplights around the columns of the main space added ambience on the ground level, where dinner took place.

The dinner program once again include the awarding of the Sportsman of the Year—this time to Washington Redskins’ tight end Chris Cooley—the Joseph E. Robert Community Impact Award (which went to philanthropist Leah Gansler), and the Greater Washington Sports Hall of Fame Championship, which honored former Redskins left defensive end Charles Mann. Organizers forwent the awarding of the SneakerBall Fan Choice Award as a result of the N.F.L. and N.B.A. lockouts earlier this year. “Last year the award was a great segment of the event, but [the lockouts] made it a bit difficult to reach the teams at that point [in planning] and have them nominate players,” said Levy.

Following the dinner, guests retreated to the third section of the atrium for dessert, gaming, and dancing. An additional 100 guests who purchased the $125 after-party ticket joined the party for foosball, basketball, and air hockey, among other games. DJ Benny C hit the Red Bull turntables until nearly 1 a.m.

**Photos: Kevin O’Shaughnessy (eagle, Sweeney), Megan Blair (auction, drape, Charles Mann), Daniel Swartz/revamp.com (games)

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Posted in Charity Galas and Benefits, Sporting Events

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3 Washington Bars Where Groups Can Watch Football This Fall

Posted on September 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

(Originally published 9.6.11 in BizBash Washington)

Now that football season has officially started, here are three Washington venues with multiple TVs and N.F.L. and college sports packages for group viewing parties.

The Black Squirrel's new tap room is decorated with graffiti images on the walls and 50 black leather stools at its expansive bar.


1. The Black Squirrel in Adams Morgan recently expanded its event space with the opening of its basement tap room in February. The space can accommodate about 70 people and has 32 beers on tap and three flat-screen TVs. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant and bar has an additional five TVs throughout its main and second floors, which can seat 50 each. During football season, the restaurant will serve wing and nacho specials and offer discounts on draft beers.

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2. Touchdown sports bar opened in the U Street Corridor in March, just in time for soccer season. Now that football is on the immediate horizon, the 1,500-square-foot bar is gearing up for weekly watch parties by dedicating its second-floor bar to Redskins games all season. The bilevel space has eight TVs on each floor, which can seat 38 each with additional room for standing, with the N.F.L. RedZone, ESPN Gameplan, and Big Ten packages. The menu consists of pub grub like burgers, wings, mac and cheese, tacos, and fajitas. The bar also carries a variety of domestic and imported beer, as well as local Virginia brew Port City and DC Brau’s Public Pale Ale. A third floor is expected to open later this year.

3. The American Tap Room opens its third Washington-area location today in Clarendon. As its name suggestions, the 9,000-square-foot restaurant and bar has 60 beers on tap, as well as 25 TVs for viewing the big game. There is seating in the main dining room for 125, though semiprivate parties of 100 can be hosted in the glass-enclosed martini bar. As the weather cools, three stone fire pits will keep the patio warm for as many as 180 people.

**Photos courtesy of each venue.

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Posted in Sporting Events, Venue Profiles

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Washington Kastles Build 2,700-Seat Temporary Stadium for 2011 Season

Posted on July 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

(Originally published 7.26.11 in BizBash Washington)

The stadium can seat 2,700 and can be rented for events for the next two years during the Kastles' off-seasons.


The Washington Kastles tennis team held their 2011 season—which wrapped up Sunday night undefeated—in a new 2,700-seat temporary stadium, Kastles Stadium at the Wharf, designed by PN Hoffman Construction. The structure took about two months to construct and held 20,000 people throughout the three-week tennis season, which had previously been held in a temporary stadium erected each summer from 2008 to 2010 in a parking lot of the former Washington Convention Center at 11th and H streets NW.

“We thought the location right on the waterfront was unique and spectacular setting for our team and our season, as well as other activities,” said Kastles owner Mark Ein. “That particular location is really accessible by any means of transport in the region. It’s uniquely situated for people to get to and from the stadium easily.”

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On the southwest waterfront on the former grounds of Hogates Restaurant, the new stadium combines bleacher-style seating with roped-off V.I.P. areas lined with folding chairs. In addition to concession stands, the surrounding grounds are home to two temporary V.I.P. tents: the SunTrust Club and a V.I.P. sponsor area that housed four sponsor activations and parties throughout the season.

The V.I.P. tent served as a home base for team sponsors, as well as the site for the daily press conference with players–including tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams and John McEnroe—Kastles coach Murphy Jensen, and Ein. Interior designer Dana Tydings of Tydings Design worked with furniture company American Eye at the Washington Design Center to outfit the tent with white, blue, and tan lounge furniture accented with green and orange pillows and green linens on the nearby highboys. R&R Catering staffed the tent’s two bars throughout the tournament, with five restaurants, including Cantina Marina and Carmine’s, providing catering in the SunTrust Club on various nights throughout the stadium.

The stadium will remain as part of the waterfront’s architectural landscape for the next two years, during which time it will be used for other sporting events, like the Street Soccer Championships, a charity fund-raiser with Mia Hamm, and concerts. The venue will also be available private events booked through the Kastles.

***Photos: Vithaya Phongsavan (stadium, McEnroe, action, crow) and Rich Kessler

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Homestead-Miami Speedway Revamps and Sells Out V.I.P. Tent Prior to Indy Car Race Day

Posted on October 5, 2010 | Leave a comment

(Originally published 10.05.10 on BizBash Miami/South Florida)

Photo: ISC Motorsports Images & Archives

The NextEra Energy IndyCar Championship, which consists of Izod IndyCar Series Indy 300 and Firestone Indy Lights Series 100 races, took place October 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After last year’s introduction of the track’s V.I.P. Pit Box and Pit Road cabana viewing areas, organizers revamped the viewing tents and started promotions nearly six months prior to race day, resulting in the former space selling out on Wednesday and 22 cabanas—13 more than in 2009—being booked for private groups.

“The clientele [for those areas] is different from our traditional demographic and has different expectations, so we wanted to raise the bar to meet that,” said the track’s director of corporate partnerships, Dan Carpenter, regarding the tent’s redesign. “The [Pit Box] lounge itself is the closest thing we’ve got on site to being very trendy, hip, and South Beach-ish.”

The 200 Pit Box ticket holders consisted primarily of C-level executives of small and midsize business, car sponsors, and small-business professionals and their clients. The cabanas can accommodate groups of 50, offer customized catering menus, and are primarily used by the race teams, track sponsors, or corporate sponsors. Both spaces hosted meet-and-greets with six race car drivers in the afternoon.

The redesign began with Diamonette Party Rentals replacing last year’s 45- by-125-foot Pit Box tent—with a large patio off one side—with a narrower 25- by 200-foot option, which fit better in the allotted space on the racetrack grounds and allowed for more interior space. Room Service, an AFR Event Furnishings Company furnished the space and 13 nearby private cabanas with white leather sofas, ottomans, and chairs. Normas Touch further adorned the space with sheer drapery around the open walls and floral centerpieces on the tables.

Carpenter also changed the catering setup for the Pit Box. Track caterer Americrown previously set up buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that offered a main course and selection of side items, which staffers replenished as needed throughout the day. This year, Carpenter kept the buffet for breakfast and dinner, but used seven food stations offering various options for lunch.

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Polo Cup Redesigns and Expands Footprint on Miami Beach, Adds More Peripheral Events

Posted on April 30, 2010 | Leave a comment

(Originally published 04.27.10 on BizBash Miami/South Florida)

The sixth annual Miami Beach Polo Cup wrapped up last night after a day of women’s matches and three days of men’s matches that attracted nearly 2,500 people to the V.I.P. spectator tent as well as hundreds of nearby beachgoers. The 2010 tournament returned to the sands behind the Setai hotel on Miami Beach with a redesigned event footprint, a larger spectator tent for V.I.P.s, and more peripheral events and entertainment.

“The tournament keeps growing every year, and the press we got last year was phenomenal, so we’re getting a lot more attention from the polo community,” said Bruce Orosz, president of the Polo Life L.L.C. and local event company ACT Productions, the two organizations behind the event. “It’s really such a multifaceted and multitiered event that we’re now promoting it almost year-round with help from our sponsors.”

Photo: Kristy Furg

In past years the majority of the sponsor tents were located to the right of the main entrance. However, in an effort to increase the foot traffic to those areas, ACT created a 2,000-square-foot retail village with two rows of tents behind the main entrance. Panama Jack, yacht manufacturer Ferretti Group, and polo apparel company La Martina were among the seven companies exhibiting there.

ACT contracted EventStar to expand the length of its V.I.P. viewing tent by 30 feet and create three levels instead two, which allowed for more seating. Two rows of white folding chairs lined the first level, behind which ACT used low-lying partitions and black and brown sofas and ottomans from Taylor Creative Inc. to create viewing boxes for sponsors. Rectangular highboys and stools lined the front of the third tier, which also held two bars on either end from sponsors Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire. Fogo de Chao and three China Grill Management restaurants served food daily on the top level of the tent.

The Polo Life secured 20 percent more sponsors than in 2009, including presenting sponsor AMG—the high-performance line from Mercedes-Benz. With the additional sponsors came more peripheral events and entertainment elements surrounding the daily polo matches. Among the new aspects was a late-night fashion show from Betsey Johnson during Thursday’s opening night party in the viewing tent, an invitation-only sunset cruise for 90 on Friday hosted by Ferretti Group, and multiple La Martina fashion shows throughout the day on Saturday.

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