The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hawks cutting concessions prices at arena
Add the price lists at the concession stands to all the other things being rebuilt at Philips Arena.
When the arena, currently closed for a massive renovation, reopens for the Hawks’ season, prices will be cut by an average of about 50 percent on 11 popular food and beverage items, Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said.
Taking a page from the Falcons’ playbook at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Hawks organization will adopt what it calls “fanfriendly” pricing at Philips’ concession stands.
Bags of chips will be priced at $1; candy, jumbo pretzels and bottled water at $2; french fries, hot dogs, nachos and bottled soda at $3; pizza slices, bottomless popcorn and soft drinks with unlimited refills at $4.
Those prices are lower than fans are accustomed to paying at most pro sports venues. Some of the prices match what the Falcons have done at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, although others don’t go quite as low. (Hot dogs and refillable soft drinks are $2 at MBS.)
Philips Arena’s new prices will be in effect for all Hawks games and for concerts and all other events there, Koonin said.
“Give great credit to the Falcons: Their concession pricing really became something that the consumers loved, including me as a consumer,” Koonin said. “And we started talking about it and ... decided that in order to signify this is a new build- ing and a new day, we should go with the new pricing. You can get two slices of pizza and a drink for $10.”
He said items on the “value menu” will complement the arena’s “wide assortment of premium food options.”
A $5 beer also will be added to the menu at Philips.
Koonin, like Falcons executives, thinks lower concessions prices will become a trend that spreads across pro sports. He cited the Masters golf tournament for pioneering the concept.
Based on the Falcons’ experience, Koonin expects Philips Arena’s new pricing to result in an increase in sales volume, albeit at a lower profit margin.
“We’re going to make less on concessions but grow our customer satisfaction, which is very important,” he said.
Hawks officials said speed of service at concession stands will increase as part of the arena’s makeover. They said there will be a 71-percent increase in points of sale, nearly 40 percent more beer taps and new line designs and self-serve stations.
Philips Arena has been closed since April 22 for the last and largest phase of its $192.5 million makeover, which Hawks officials have frequently described as a “roofline to baseline” transformation of the building.
Contractors are scheduled to turn the arena back over to the Hawks organization Oct. 15. Koonin said the project remains “on schedule and on budget.”