Labatt Takes Off at the Airport
Now that their HQ is ensconced here, Labatt USA, along with Delaware North Companies, is grabbing fans of Blue, coming and going.
Labatt and Delaware recently celebrated the opening of the Blue Zone, a new 1,900 square foot bar and restaurant located in the Buffalo Niagara International Airport's west concourse, across from gates one through four. Part of Delaware North’s $7.6 million investment in new restaurants and shops and renovations to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, the Blue Zone will be a welcome respite for weary (and thirsty and hungry) travelers, with three flat screen televisions, and table and bar seating for more than 50 people.
The Blue Zone is part of Delaware North’s new, 15-year exclusive concessions and retail contract approved in May by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), which operates the airport.
“We’re thrilled with our partnership with the NFTA and the opening of the Blue Zone with Labatt,” Matt King, president of Travel Hospitality Services said. “The Blue Zone is a perfect concept for the Buffalo area and it’s just the beginning of the exciting changes we’re going to bring to the airport through our renovation project.”
In addition to a wide selection of Labatt products, the Blue Zone also will offer travelers wine, liquor, specialty cocktails and other bottled beers, and a menu featuring burgers, paninis, nachos, and Buffalo favorite beef-on-weck. The Blue Zone’s goal is to celebrate Labatt USA’s core brands Labatt Blue™ and Blue Light™, regional favorites among the company’s largest and most loyal customer base.
“It’s our goal to bring consumers an authentic Labatt experience and the opening of the Blue Zone provides us that opportunity,” said Glen Walter, president, Labatt USA. “Now, millions of travelers from all over the world will be able to enjoy the refreshing tastes of our Labatt products that Buffalo has grown to love. We’re proud to be a part of the airport’s expansion that showcases some of the best that Buffalo has to offer.”
Passengers can visit the Blue Zone from 5AM to 8:30PM, seven days per week.
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bison716
Great addition to our Airport! We need more, but great start.
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SteveP
agreed, Labatt and New Era are two companies taking bold steps in the region.
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estreet
Correct me if I am wrong; Didn't the airport originally grant the contracts to small business owners? If so, why the change? Certainly Delaware North does not need the business.
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Jay
Now let's get a 'blue zone' downtown! Nice addition to the airport.
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sbrof
I think this is a great idea and if it does well maybe they will think about a location downtown. It is nice knowing that buying Labatt is helping to keep money here. (at least some) So between them and Flying Bison I am almost all set. Life will be complete once one of them starts to produce a Heffeweizen here.... then I will never have an excuse to not buy local beer.
Plus it shows a new investment into the area. Hopefully there is something in there that states there US headquarters moved into downtown in 200X. Would be nice to have travelers see that buffalo can attract businesses especially those with some name value.
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TranspoGuy
Jay - I was thinking the exact same thing. Being that a large percentage of Buffalonians are Labatt drinkers, I don't see how having a store downtown could fail. Maybe combine the bar/restaurant with a small gift shop. I am sure that a lot of locals have only tried Blue and Blue Light, this would allow them to have more of their beers brought to greater popularity (50, Honey Lager, Classic, etc...).
Not to mention I am sure they could lure people in with deals during Sabres games and other sporting events. A lot of breweries in Denver have made a name for themselves by being the place to be during local sporting events because of their deals.
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gman
How about a Blue Zone at Canalside. It could be better than an ESPN Zone. A nice anchor tenant too. Then you could introduce Labatt to tourists and locals.
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LittleSis
What's the reasoning behind the hours- 5am to 8:30 pm?
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rydog71
Did the airport or Delaware North sell the naming rights? From my I understanding it has been illegal since prohibition for breweries to own bars or pubs not located on brewery grounds. Because of this you are not likely to see a Labatt Blue owned bar in the city anytime soon.
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sally
The bar is run by Delaware North not Labatt so the prohibition is not broken. The same would hold true of a downtown location.
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sbrof
rydog71 if that is true that has to be one of the silliest laws around.
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rydog71
I thought Delaware North was in the tourism, hospitality and concession business. Owning a stand alone restaurant downtown doesn't seem like there thing. Maybe if it falls under one of those categories if it is located at the Canal. Or maybe they can delve into a new area of business.
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iluvbflo
This would fall under food and hospitality within tourism. Definitely their thing.
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buffaloboy14
Blue Zone downtown would be sweet! Maybe in the spot coffee building so the hippiess will stay at home!
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cobblestone
Now with InBev buying Bud.All North Amercian Operations and Hdqtrs located in St Louis. Our love affair with Labatts may be short lived
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heathersmiles
Good point Cobblestone! Does anyone know how the Inbev acquisition of AB will impact their operations of the Labbatt brand?
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heathersmiles
On a related note, we should not be celebrating the opening of another bar. The people of Buffalo do not need more alcohol because it ruins lives. Alcohol perpetuates the cycle of poverty, it is a leading cause of domestic abuse, abuse against women, rape and date rape. It is one of the leading causes of automobile accidents and on the job injuries, and it creates addicts who cannot fight the grip that alcohol has on them.
Bars do little for the economy, they do not create high paying jobs that offer a living wage. Bars are in the business of making people addicted to their products. There are people who spend a great deal of their limited earnings on beer, wine, and liquor with nothing to show for it. This can lead to increases in crime, homelessness, and broken homes. Children of acoholics are more likely to grow up to be alcoholics, thus perpetuating the cycle for another generation.
Why celebrate the opening of another bar when we are challenging the community impact of gambling. It sounds to me like we should be controlling both to save the people of Buffalo.
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Enxu
Wow heathersmiles, what a sunny and positive outlook you have! Thank you for presenting a fair and balanced look at the nature of alcohol in society. I was, and I'm sure many other of the consenting responsible adults here on BRO were unaware of the the fun "facts" on alcohol that you have presented here.
Oh yeah, have a beer on me this weekend!
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DCexile
Any bets how long it will take NFTA to update the airport web page to show the Blue Zone?
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sbrof
I know a lot of people that pay for college or raise a family working at bars. How many local bar tenders are owners themselves. They are great local businesses. Heather needs a drink or two at founding fathers, CPG's or the many other owner operator establishments around the city.
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mybuffalo
"InBev agreed to buy Anheuser-Busch for a total value of $52 billion, which would create a new company to be named Anheuser-Busch InBev. It was reported that Anheuser will get two seats on the combined board.[4] The deal is still pending required approval by shareholders and regulatory agencies. " sounds like it would have ZERO effect on labatt, and the person hating on bars the post is so silly i'm not positive you are just being sarcastic, i would love it if 100 new bars opened down town i'd patronize all of them
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heathersmiles
Uh huh! I am glad that some of you are sharp enough to get it. I am sure that there would be people who would put food on their table and put their kids through college while working at the casino. There are video game technicians, security guards, dealers, bartenders, managers, auditors, accountants, and a thousand other jobs that some people feel are too menial for the people of Buffalo. These are jobs that will not come to Buffalo becaues a minority of well funded and well connected people have an objection to casinos. Any other company offering 1,000 jobs to the area, we offer them tax breaks, utility incentives, etc; but we object because this is being built by Native Americans on territory that was granted to them for the purpose of building a casino. This is a project that the city fought for because it was going to be just one more thing in a long list of things that would be built in the suburbs instead of the City. So we don't like gambling because there is a potential negative impact caused by a minority of patrons; should we close all the bars on Chippewa because there are occassional fights, shootings, or DWI arrests? Would anyone like to claim that bar owners, bartenders, wait staff, or other bar employees are payng all taxes and claiming all income? I didn't think so...
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PaulBuffalo
Heathersmiles, you have an amazing grasp of the obvious. Yes, jobs would be created and some of jobs would pay a higher wage than others.
These jobs will not come to Buffalo because a minority of well-funded and well-connected people have an objection to casinos? Gambling is illegal in New York State because a majority of voters didn't approve it. The Senecas certainly have enough money for any legal issue and they recently hired Lawrence Tribe, one of the country's most prominent attorneys. They are certainly a well-funded and well-connected minority.
If another company were to offer 1,000 jobs, it is possible that tax breaks would be offered; but, no agency has ever had to offer tax breaks to a casino.
We don't like gambling because there is a potential negative impact caused by a minority of patrons? No, but there is a negative impact TO a minority of patrons in the form of addiction and how the community addresses the consequences is important.
I hope you're sharp enough to get it.
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CityLiving
I think an Espnzone- type Labatt restaurant would be a real hit downtown! A gift shop would definitely be a must along with a broad selection of beer.
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TroyT
Good idea for the airport and good idea for a sports zone downtown, whether its called LabattsZone, EspnZone BuffaloZone or other. Typically you have 2 types of comments here, those supporting the idea and those against the idea and then they list 1000 arguments why you are wrong. Personally I think a Buffalo Sportszone bar downtown is a tremendous idea, there are obviously many bars downtown but none that I can think of dedicated purely to sports, showing each and every sport imagineable, the Buffalo ones taking precedence of course!. I feel like there are other people interesting in this idea and I would love to see someone make it happen, BRO can be more than just an info forum, it could be a way for ideas to come together and actually become reality, imagine that!
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ToughintheStreets
Does anyone else here think Heathersmiles has multiple personalities?
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