CITI OPEN PARTNERS WITH HOSPITALITY AND CULINARY TRAILBLAZERS
TO CREATE A WORLD-CLASS, REIMAGINED FAN EXPERIENCE
Hospitality industry leader Levy to showcase culinary collaborations featuring iconic Chef José Andrés and other popular D.C. and national eateries as part of elevated hospitality and concessions offerings
Award-winning food lineup includes Beefsteak, Pepe, Butterfly Tacos y Tortas,
Shake Shack, Marra Forni Neapolitan Pizza, Dolcezza Gelato, Ice Cream Jubilee,
Compass Coffee and OakBerry Acai Bowls
New hospitality concepts Market Square, Moët & Chandon Stadium Club, and Amstel Light Beer Garden & Rock Creek Grill create premium food and beverage service areas all across the grounds
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 8, 2019) – When fans enter the 2019 Citi Open later this month, they will be welcomed to a reimagined fan experience showcasing D.C.’s most innovative culinary fare in stunning new hospitality settings.
From the visionary concepts of internationally-acclaimed Chef José Andrés to the air-conditioned comfort of the tournament’s newest gathering spot Market Square, the 2019 Citi Open will be the home of a new world-class culinary experience as “Washington’s Summer Tradition Reimagined” teams up with Levy, the industry leader in sports and entertainment hospitality.
Tournament officials today announced Levy will be the exclusive food and beverage partner for the long-running tennis tournament. Levy, who serves up the US Open, Indian Wells and other leading sporting events in the world, will rebrand concessions and VIP hospitality fare throughout the tournament grounds with customized menus from Chef Andrés and favored local D.C. eateries. The lineup of popular District and national dining options that will be featured at the Citi Open includes José Andrés’ Pepe, Beefsteak and Butterfly Taco y Tortas as well as Shake Shack, Marra Forni Neapolitan Pizza, Dolcezza Gelato, Ice Cream Jubilee, Compass Coffee, and OakBerry Acai Bowls.
The most talked about dining scene in Washington, D.C. this summer will be on the Citi Open grounds as event organizers introduce a food and beverage lineup worthy of the fifth-largest professional tennis tournament in the U.S. The upscale hospitality will include the introduction of two new dining areas – Market Square and the Moët & Chandon Stadium Club. Market Square is a fully-enclosed, air-conditioned tent that will be open to all fans free-of-charge and home to food, beverage, music, and entertainment with front row seats to the tournament’s practice courts.
Overlooking the 7,500-seat stadium court, the Moët & Chandon Stadium Club is an exclusive, newly-built air-conditioned courtside hospitality suite which includes premium food and beverage service with indoor and outdoor seating for only 40 guests. Moët & Chandon will be the official champagne of the Citi Open, and other Moët Hennessy brands will be served throughout the grounds at select hospitality areas.
The 2019 Citi Open, which annually draws more than 75,000 fans, will be the first edition of this long-running sports classic under the direction of MDE Tennis, the sports management company headed by Washington entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Ein, CEO of MDE Tennis. The tournament begins July 27 and runs through August 4 at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
Ein said the outstanding tennis will bring many fans in the gates, but the redesigned hospitality experience and upgraded culinary fare will keep them coming back and staying longer. “When fans experience first-hand these reimagined food and hospitality areas, the city will be buzzing about the Citi Open as the place to be in DC each day and night of that special week,” said Ein. “With best-in-class partners like José Andrés, Levy, Moët & Chandon, Dolcezza, Founding Spirits and many others, we have assembled an amazing team to bring our vision of an unparalleled, world class fan experience to life.”
“As we began our partnership with the Citi Open, we were immediately and deeply impressed with their commitment to crafting a world-class approach to hospitality at what has become one of the best tournaments on the tennis calendar,” said Andy Lansing, President and CEO of Levy. “Guests at this year’s Citi Open will experience food and beverage unlike anything they’ve seen before at the tournament, inspired by the incredible culinary scene in Washington, D.C. and the culinary leadership of José Andrés.”
Chef Andrés, who was recently named as the recipient of the prestigious 2019 Julia Child Award, and his ThinkFoodGroup team will provide diverse offerings, with a varied set of dining options spread throughout the expansive grounds. José’s Way, a new area dedicated to Chef Andrés culinary innovation, will include the critically-acclaimed food truck, Pepe, which will be serving up Spanish sandwiches, bocatas and flautas; Beefsteak, a vegetable-forward, fast-casual dining option; and a sangria bar.
Featured dining options in Market Square include Andrés' Beefsteak, as well as his Butterfly Taco y Tortas, which is inspired by Mexico City’s vibrant street culture and Mexico’s rich regional diversity. Shake Shack brings their much-loved burgers and crinkle cut fries to the Market Square lineup. The beverage menu will include Founding Spirits, Frosé, Amstel Light, Moet Hennessy products, and a Chef Andrés -inspired sangria bar.
“We’re so excited to bring three of our most beloved fast casual concepts to Citi Open,” said ThinkFoodGroup COO Eric Martino. “Our partnership with Levy has enabled us to now reach tennis fans, and we look forward to welcoming them and providing them with unique dining experiences.”
Pop-up dining options throughout the grounds include Ice Cream Jubilee, which will be serving up their premium local cream which is consistently voted the best ice cream in Washington. Dolcezza, named Best Gelato in DC for four consecutive years, will be serving old world gelato with locally sourced ingredients. Pizza prepared in the world-famous Marra Forni handcrafted brick ovens will give consumers a taste of authentic Neapolitan-style pizza. Popular D.C. area roaster Compass Coffee will present a cold brew coffee bar, and healthy fast food will be on the menus in the concession areas with vendors like OakBerry Acai Bowls, featuring organic certified and 100% natural acai from Brazil.
Box seat, suite ticket holders and Citigold clients will enjoy the exclusive new Citigold Garden Club. Located at South Entrance, the Citigold Garden Club includes an acclaimed menu of food and beverage options, table service and some unique share worthy experiences in an air-conditioned enclosed tent.
Founding Spirits, the Official Vodka & Whiskey of the Citi Open, introduces a new place for fans to relax with the Founding Spirits Cocktail Lounge. This shaded, open-space casual bar will feature mixologists serving up the tournament’s signature cocktail – returning fan favorite “Match Point Mule” with Founding Spirits vodka. Another new addition to the grounds is the Amstel Light Beer Garden & Rock Creek Grill, a shaded outdoor bar located next to the Citigold Garden Club, where patrons can enjoy the Heineken beverage portfolio paired with favorite ale snacks between matches.
Citi cardmembers can access the Citi Lounge starting on Monday of tournament week to relax in the air-conditioned tent, featuring complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and light snacks. In addition, Citi cardmembers also receive access to an exclusive Buy One, Get One ticket offer and discounts on Citi Open branded merchandise on-site.
Single session tickets, which start at $25, are available HERE. Limited full-series packages are also available.
Added for 2019 are 10 Dream Seats, a limited section of one-of-a-kind series seating that is located on the court giving fans one of the only opportunities in the world to sit feet away from the best players in the world during matches. Full series Dream Seat buyers will have access to the Moët & Chandon Stadium Club amenities and will receive invitations to a series of exclusive events including the Citi Taste of Tennis, the Official Player Party of the Citi Open on July 29. Special guests for Citi Taste of Tennis are expected to include John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Chef Jerome Grant and many others. Check out www.tasteoftennis.com for additional information.
Premium seating ticket packages for the Moët & Chandon Stadium Club, Dream Seats or hospitality courtside suites are available by calling 202.654.7020.
Fans can gear up for the tournament with a selection of new Citi Open merchandise from the upscale lifestyle and tennis collection at the Citi Open Pro Shop located near the North Entrance. The shop will feature offerings from Vineyard Vines, the Official Apparel of the Citi Open, along with other leading merchandise partners.
The player field for the 2019 Citi Open is a remarkable collection of current champions, next-generation stars and fan favorites from both the ATP and WTA Tours, with five Top 10 players headlining the field. ATP players scheduled for the 2019 tournament include world No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, Kei Nishikori (No. 7), Kevin Anderson (No. 8), Russian Karen Khachanov (No. 9), top-ranked American John Isner (No. 12), 2016 Citi Open champion Gael Monfils and his fellow Frenchmen Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Benoit Paire, Australian fan favorite Nick Kyrgios, and next-generation standouts Australian Alex de Minaur, Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov, plus hometown favorite Frances Tiafoe of Hyattsville, Md.
World No. 9 Sloane Stephens heads up a stellar women’s field that also features 2019 Indian Wells champion Bianca Andreescu, Americans Madison Keys and Sofia Kenin, world No. 13 Belinda Bencic, Olympic Gold medalist Monica Puig, and Canadian Genie Bouchard, a former Top 5 player.