This works on multiple levels: a core part of the First Tennessee Park experience for Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) fans will be the Band Box bar and restaurant in the right-field concourse area.
A band box, of course, describes a small, intimate ballpark — it’s no stretch to say the Sounds’ previous home, Sulphur Dell, was a band box of a ballpark. And, of course, with Nashville being Music City, anything referencingo music will play well. Add Strategic Hospitality as a partner — which runs local establishments like Paradise Park, Aerial, Merchants Restaurant, The Patterson House, The Catbird Seat, and Pinewood Social — and you have a pretty good formula for success.
“I am excited to partner with Strategic Hospitality to develop a fun, dynamic space within the ballpark to give fans an additional place for entertainment during games,” said Sounds owner Frank Ward. “We feel this will be an especially exciting area for the 21 to 35 year old crowd.”
The Band Box will be a 4,000-square-foot outdoor bar and restaurant with entertainment options including ping pong, cornhole, table hockey and shuffleboard – along with the primary backdrop of the Sounds playing on the new field. Televisions will surround the bar area for additional entertainment.
The bar will feature craft beers on tap and an emphasis on local beers, a quality liquor selection, and refreshing frozen drinks such as a grapefruit and vodka slushie or a frozen Jack and Coke.
The Band Box will offer fare for all appetites, including snacks such as vegetables and hummus or jalapeno fritters with derby sauce; or more substantial items such as a kielbasa pork sausage from Porter Road Butcher served with carrot cumin slaw, or the smoked pork nachos, served with jalapeno “queso” sweet corn and tomato pico de gallo, bbq, and cilantro crema. The menu will also offer some vegetarian and healthier options, such as a quinoa chopped salad with vegetables and citrus vinaigrette.
“There is so much positive growth and energy in this city right now and we are honored to be a part of it,” said Max Goldberg, co-owner of Strategic Hospitality. “The Band Box will be a fun, laid-back area within First Tennessee Park where guests can get a really great drink and some food and just hang out and enjoy. We grew up with the Sounds and couldn’t be happier to be a part of the team.”
The Band Box will be open for all home games. Doors will open when the ballpark gates open 90 minutes prior to games and stay open until after the game concludes. There will also be an area of ticketed seats with service that will allow fans to order food and drinks from The Band Box.
First Tennessee Park is slated to open April 17; yes, we’ll be there.
Image from the First Tennessee Park webcam.
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