Food vendor at Covelli Centre not changing

Centerplate, the food-and-beverage vendor at the Covelli Centre, is no longer willing to take a buyout to end its contract with the city, concerned those responsibilities would be handed over to a competitor.

JAC Management, the firm that manages the day-to-day operations of the center, proposed last month taking over the food-and-beverage contract — a move supported by the city administration.

But city council members said a decision this important shouldn’t be rushed. They were also hesitant to give JAC the contract because the company has never handled food-and-beverage operations at a facility the size of Covelli, and they also wanted to give other businesses a chance to submit proposals.

In an email, a Centerplate executive wrote that the company didn’t want to see a competitor take over the contract and that it has no intention of accepting a buyout.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com