Centerplate, Sonnier & Castle Announce Partnership To Bring Premium Social Events To The Newly Renovated Javits Center

NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Sonnier & Castle, the New York City luxury purveyor of events and catering, and Centerplate, the global leader in event hospitality and hospitality partner to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York, are announcing a new agreement to market and produce high-end social events at the Javits Center, the busiest convention center in the United States.

As the Javits Center nears the completion of a comprehensive, state-of-the-art renovation that has added a new, column-free exhibition hall and a new glass facade, Sonnier & Castle will help present the dynamic facility to previously untapped markets, marketing the one-of-a-kind structure as a premium event destination to their exclusive list of social event clientele including: film premieres, charitable events, corporate entertaining and social events.

"Sonnier & Castle, as a luxury purveyor of events and catering, will now be able to provide our customers turn-key experiences throughout this facility – special experiences that were previously unavailable," says Adam Weiss, CEO of Sonnier & Castle. "River Pavilion, for example, is an ideal venue for benefit dinners with the capacity to accommodate up to 1,200 guests with no sightline obstructions and unparalleled views of the Hudson River."

"From stunning views, to iconic architecture, to a distinguished history as a New York City landmark, the Javits Center has incredible potential as a premier hospitality destination," says Sal Ferrulo, Centerplate's Senior Vice President. "While our hospitality teams have been providing world class service to meeting planners and convention-goers for years, we chose Sonnier & Castle to help us extend the Javits Center to an exciting new audience."

"The Javits Center has set the standard for major events throughout the world, and this new partnership between Centerplate and Sonnier & Castle is a wonderful opportunity to raise the bar even higher," said Alan Steel, President and CEO of the New York Convention Center Operation Corporation, which operates the Javits Center. "We can host events of any size and for any occasion – while allowing customers to transform our space into a unique experience that's tailored specifically to their needs. We are thrilled to welcome Sonnier & Castle, and we expect their expertise will help us open our doors to more audiences than ever before."

Sonnier & Castle will add the Javits Center to the list of venues such as MOMA, New York Public Library and The Frick in which it currently operates. As part of the roll-out of marketing for the new partnership, Sonnier & Castle has been previewing the venue to customers.

"Venues are a very important part of our plans going forward," according to Russ Sonnier, Partner at Sonnier & Castle. "We think we can bring 20 to 30 large-scale events annually to the Javits Center, which is an exciting opportunity for us."

"Our event planners and designers like what they see at Javits Center," said David Castle, Partner at Sonnier & Castle. "The open space and I.M. Pei architecture appeal to the designers. They see the building as a blank slate to design on," said Castle.

About Sonnier & Castle
Grounded in the tradition of New York City events and catering, Sonnier & Castle is a luxury purveyor of innovative cuisine, cutting edge design and always-correct customer service. Established in 1997, Sonnier & Castle does $10M in sales. For more information, go to www.sonnier-castle.com or, call 212 957 3242.

About Centerplate
Centerplate "Makes It Better To Be There" for more than 115 million guests each year in over 300 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America and the United Kingdom. Centerplate has provided event hospitality to 30 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 21 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history. Recently, the company was named the fastest growing restaurant/hospitality group in the United States by Nation's Restaurant News, and has recently expanded operations to the United Kingdom. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com or connect with us on twitter @centerplate or facebook.com/centerplate.

About Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York
Known as the "Marketplace for the World," the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York was designed by Architect I.M. Pei and opened in 1986. The iconic facility has since become New York City's primary venue for large conventions, trade shows and special events and serves as home to many of the world's top 250 trade shows, hosting millions of visitors a year. These large-scale events generate $1.5 billion in annual economic activity for New York City and New York State, supporting more than 14,000 jobs in and around the facility. Located on 11^th Avenue between 34^th and 40^th Sts., the Javits Center has 840,000 square feet of total exhibition space, 102 meeting rooms and four banquet halls, as well as a range of telecommunications services, including WiFi access.

SOURCE Centerplate