Arenas, which generally house hockey and basketball games and can handle other events such as concerts, have been more active than ballparks in developing entertainment districts, she said. Ms. Deckard added that the restaurant business can be a tricky one, and that most restaurants don't last more than a few years. Success with a strategy like the Pirates comes down to location, tenant mix and the individual characteristics of each market. In some cases, people will come here strictly for these restaurants. Diners will be able to go to the restaurants without going to the games, even when there's a game going on.
Concessions generate significant income.
Consider the opening of the San Francisco Giants' Pac Bell Park last year. From a vendor's perspective, however, success doesn't necessarily translate into huge profits. Chris Bigelow, who has worked with many major league baseball teams on their food service as a Kansas City-based consultant, said ballpark locations for individual restaurants are better opportunities for marketing than income. There's a lot of economics working against you. Rents at professional sports venues, he said, are often higher than local malls.