McCormick Place feeding contract goes to Chicago partnershipMcCormick Place feeding contract goes to Chicago partnership

CHICAGO Chicago Restaurant Partners, a consortium of well-known local restaurateurs, was awarded a 10-year contract worth $300 million to provide foodservice and catering at McCormick Place convention center here.

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which runs McCormick Place, home of the National Restaurant Show's annual conference, awarded the contract to a partnership that includes Levy Restaurants, a subsidiary of contract foodservice giant Compass Group PLC; Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants Co.; and Airport Restaurant Management Inc., a minority-owned company that has a 10-percent stake in the deal, according to the Chicago Tribune. Levy and Stefani each reportedly have a 45-percent share.

The new contract goes into effect Sept. 1.

McCormick Place, whose foodservices are currently run by Levy, generated $24.6 million in sales last year.

Losing bidders on the contract included Philadelphia-based Aramark Sports and Entertainment Services Inc. and Buffalo, N.Y.-based Delaware North Cos.