November 15, 2022 | By Joyce DiMascio
It’s 12 months since Delaware North was awarded the hospitality contract at the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and in that time they’ve been setting up the foundations for taking to 2023 and beyond with gusto.
According to sales and marketing director Troy Stasinowsky, they are now all set to start showing off what’s different under the new global operator.
And helping to shape their revamped offering is quintessential Melbourne restaurateur, Guy Grossi of Grossi Florentino, Bar and Cellar Bar, located at the top end of Bourke Street.
Stasinowsky says they wanted to capture the essence of Melbourne flavour and this was synonymous with Grossi’s Italian food and his migrant heritage. What they have created is pure Melbourne, he says.
Grossi is the operator of the restaurant at the MCG and has also shaped the menus for business events and the way the food experience is delivered.
“It’s not just the menus, his brand is across everything. The curtains on the wall are a particular colour and we use his fleur de lis logo across our glassware. He’s also has curated the wine list,” Stasinowsky says.
Stasinowsky says Delaware North has developed MCG Events as a sub brand of the MCG and has established partnerships with CENTREPIECE and Pullman Melbourne. This strengthens the whole business events proposition and provides greater connectivity.
He says MCG Events paused its big push into the business events market this year as there were limitations around the calendar of available dates.
The AFL season, the ICC T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup and several big concerts had made it hard to sell space for business events. But now they are ready to start driving their renewed business events focus and capability in 2023.
“Our focus now will be on encouraging business events to return to Melbourne’s sports and entertainment precinct. We will hone in on the message about the ability to do everything within the one precinct,” says Stasinowsky.
“The MCG is to Melbourne what the Sydney Opera House is to Sydney and the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. There’s great history here.”
He says there were 34 spaces across the stadium as well as the revitalised Australian Sports Museum and more access available to spaces including change rooms and boundaries.
Stasinowsky says business events were returning, especially national association meetings and incentives. Hosting the cricket had also activated the Indian business events market and he expects the New Zealand market to start returning soon. Even the UK market is showing greater confidence in returning to Australia, he says.
MCG Events’ sales and marketing director Troy Stasinowsky