BUFFALO, N.Y. (January 29, 2014) — HARBORCENTER President John R. Koelmel today unveiled plans for (716) Food and Sport, HARBORCENTER’s 13,000 square foot dining establishment.
“(716) will be dedicated to providing the best-in-class fan, food and sports experience,” Koelmel said. “Our commitment to hospitality, quality and community will make HARBORCENTER a dining destination for residents of Western New York and Southern Ontario, as well as numerous visitors to the area.”
Located on the corner of Scott Street and Washington Street, (716) will feature fare that is highlighted by Western New York culinary favorites, with an emphasis on locally produced ingredients. The menu will be complimented by an extensive collection of craft beers and signature cocktails. More than 40 beer selections will be available, with 20 varieties on tap. The restaurant will include a 40-foot long feature bar, along with complimentary island bars on both the first and second floors. The bar tops will be made to replicate the ice of a hockey rink, illuminated to create a unique and specialty bar experience.
“(716) is our code, and we’re creating an experience to epitomize it,” said restaurant general manager Dominic Verni. “These are three digits that identify our area and represent the pride and passion that Western New Yorkers have for our area, as well as the deep love we have for both food and sport. Combining both food and sport at our state of the art destination will create the premier fan experience.”
(716) will provide patrons with a unique and exciting viewing experience for all sporting events, featuring a 38 foot video screen, the largest restaurant screen in the continental United States. An additional 55 big screen televisions will be on display throughout the two-floor establishment, including individual in-booth televisions with dedicated sound. Bathrooms will have television screens embedded in the mirrors. (716) will have seating for 360 guests, including 135 bar stools. Additionally, there will be a private VIP area on the upper level. Guests will be able to enter the restaurant from both the street level and the parking garage.
“Our restaurant will be the premier destination to celebrate your favorite sport,” Verni added. “Whether it’s the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Super Bowl, World Cup, Wimbledon, World Series, NBA and College Basketball, or the hundreds of other sporting events throughout the year, (716) will be the place to be.”
(716) will feature a unique use of numbers and sport within its space. The walls of both levels of the restaurant will feature custom graphics that tell the story of the numbers seven, one and six throughout the history of sport. This unique insight will provide a special experience to patrons through the stories those numbers tell. The (716) design comes from Buffalo Sabres VP of creative services Frank Cravotta, in collaboration with BHNT Architects. His recent work for the Sabres includes First Niagara Center’s Alumni Plaza and the recently updated Sabres locker room.
(716) will bring more than 150 jobs to downtown Buffalo, and will be committed to hiring the best local talent in the hospitality industry. The restaurant will increase HARBORCENTER’s impact on the downtown area by leading community initiatives and partnering with neighboring businesses to support the growth of Canalside.
(The photo is a rendering of HarborCENTER; as soon as we receive artists renderings of the Restaurant, we will share)
