Delaware North Companies
Encyclopedia
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York
The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues.
who also owns the Boston Bruins
. The arena in which the Bruins play, the TD Garden, is owned by Delaware North. Jacobs is also a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Board.
Enters European travel hospitality market opening outlets at Gatwick, Heathrow and Edinburgh Airports and Euston Railway Station. Acquires iconic Australian Resorts at Lizard Island, Heron Island and Wilson Island on the Great Barrier Reef
and King's Canyon
in the Red Centre of Australia.
, Cincinnati Reds
, Detroit Tigers
, Minnesota Twins
, Buffalo Bills
, Boston Celtics
and Chicago Bears
. Sportservice has been recognized for its culinary advances and PETA friendly menus. Sportservice is the company responsible for the creation of Secret Stadium Sauce
, a popular condiment mostly associated with Milwaukee.
Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment is a gaming and racing operations company that focuses on racing venues that offer video gaming machines, poker rooms, table games, restaurants, retail shops and hotels. The company operates more than 10,000 video gaming machines in such places as New York
, Arizona
, Florida
and West Virginia
.
Delaware North Companies International provides food service and hospitality to international sporting and entertainment venues including Wembley Stadium
, Emirates Stadium
, Pride Park Stadium
and the Australian Open
tennis tournament.
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts was founded in 1992 following the company’s winning bid for primary concessions at Yosemite National Park
. The company now operates at other venues including Grand Canyon
, Niagara Falls State Park
, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
and Gideon Putnam Resort (among others). The company prides itself on its sustainability program, GreenPath©.
Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services operates food, beverage and retail at airports and toll plazas throughout the United States. The company operates at such venues as Los Angeles International Airport
, Nashville International Airport
, Buffalo Niagara International Airport
, and the Detroit Metro Airport. The company recently opened the first-ever Sports Illustrated
retail store at Detroit Metro Airport’s new North Terminal.
As the owner and operator of TD Banknorth Garden, Delaware North Companies Boston serves the venue's more than 2.5 million visitors each year. The stadium is home to the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues.
Company history
Delaware North began as Jacob Brothers in 1915 and was founded by three Jacobs brothers. The current operating name for the holding company was first used in 1980. Today, the company remains family-owned and operated by Jeremy JacobsJeremy Jacobs
Jeremy Maurice Jacobs, Sr. perhaps best known as the owner of the Boston Bruins, is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Delaware North Companies...
who also owns the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. The arena in which the Bruins play, the TD Garden, is owned by Delaware North. Jacobs is also a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Board.
- 1915 – The Jacobs Brothers found Delaware North in Buffalo, N.Y., to operate theater concessions. When the establishments close down in the hot summer months, the three men turn their attention to ballparks, the first being Offermann StadiumOffermann StadiumOffermann Stadium was a stadium in Buffalo, New York. It was primarily used for baseball and was the home of Buffalo Bisons of the International League. The ballpark had a capacity of 14,000 people and opened in 1924...
, and the creation of the sports concession industry. - 1926 – Sportservice is created following contracts with minor-league ballparks in BuffaloBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and SyracuseSyracuse, New YorkSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, N.Y. - 1930 – The company enters into its first major-league deal by signing an agreement with the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
to handle food service at Navin Field. The team is still a Sportservice client today. - 1939 – The Jacobs brothers expand their business by acquiring a racetrack, marking the beginning of Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North’s largest operating company.
- 1941 – The company enters the airport arena with a contract to provide food service in Washington National Airport. Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services today operates in more than 30 major airports worldwide.
- 1968 – Upon the death of his father, founder Louis M. Jacobs, Jeremy M. Jacobs begins leading the company at the age of 28. The years that follow are characterized by unprecedented growth and diversification.
- 1975 – Delaware North acquires the Boston GardenBoston GardenThe Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
while Jeremy Jacobs purchases the Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, one of the original six franchises of the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. - 1987 – Delaware North acquires Sky Chefs, a strategic move that bolsters its airport business.
- 1993 – Delaware North wins the contract to provide visitor services in Yosemite National ParkYosemite National ParkYosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
under the terms of the largest concessions contract in the U.S. National Park Service. The award sows the seeds of a new line of business: Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts. - 1995 – Delaware North wins the contract to run the Kennedy Space Center Visitor ComplexKennedy Space Center Visitor ComplexThe Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the visitor center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It features exhibits and displays, historic spacecraft and memorabilia, shows, two IMAX theaters, a range of bus tours of the spaceport, and the Shuttle Launch Experience, a simulated ride into...
. - Late 1990s – Delaware North begins on a path toward becoming the largest racinoRacinoA racino is a combined race track and casino. In some cases, the gambling is limited to slot machines, but many locations are beginning to include table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette....
operator in North America by adding gaming to some of its racetrack properties. - 2001 – Delaware North becomes the first U.S. hospitality company in the world to have its GreenPath environmental management system registered to the guidelines put forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14001).
- Early 2000s – Delaware North becomes a hotel owner in its own right by purchasing Tenaya Lodge at the entrance to Yosemite and Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa in British Columbia, and by building a hotel at its gaming and racing destination resort in Wheeling, W. Va.
- 2004 – Delaware North begins GuestPath, its companywide continuous improvement process.
- 2006/2007 – Delaware North enters the European market with a contract at Wembley StadiumWembley StadiumThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, followed by one at Emirates StadiumEmirates StadiumAshburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
. - 2008 - Signed a 10 year contract at Pride Park StadiumPride Park StadiumPride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...
, DerbyDerbyDerby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407... - 2008/2009 - Won a contract to operate a 4,500 slot machineSlot machineA slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
racinoRacinoA racino is a combined race track and casino. In some cases, the gambling is limited to slot machines, but many locations are beginning to include table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette....
at Aqueduct RacetrackAqueduct RacetrackAqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...
in Queens, New York. It lost the contract in 2009 when it could not make a $370 million upfront payment to the state of New York. - 2009 - Delaware North was hired by Garrison Investments to operate the RMS Queen MaryRMS Queen MaryRMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...
in Long Beach CA. This partnership ended in April 2011. - 2010 - Delaware North acquired Jumer's Casino & HotelJumer's Casino & HotelJumer's Casino & Hotel is a "Las Vegas style" casino-hotel located in Rock Island, Illinois located on the western edge of the state just of Interstate 280 , 160 miles southwest of Chicago, bordering the state of Iowa by the Mississippi River...
located in Rock Island, IllinoisRock Island, IllinoisRock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
.
Enters European travel hospitality market opening outlets at Gatwick, Heathrow and Edinburgh Airports and Euston Railway Station. Acquires iconic Australian Resorts at Lizard Island, Heron Island and Wilson Island on the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
and King's Canyon
Kings Canyon (Northern Territory)
Kings Canyon is part of the Watarrka National Park in Northern Territory, Australia. Sitting at the western end of the George Gill Range, it is 323 km southwest of Alice Springs and 1,316 km south of Darwin.- Description :...
in the Red Centre of Australia.
Operating divisions
Delaware North Companies Sportservice provides concessions, premium dining, catering and retail services to sporting and entertainment venues in the United States and Canada. Today the company operates at over 50 venues including the homes of such franchises as the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
and Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Sportservice has been recognized for its culinary advances and PETA friendly menus. Sportservice is the company responsible for the creation of Secret Stadium Sauce
Secret Stadium Sauce
Secret Stadium Sauce is a condiment popular at Milwaukee Brewers baseball games in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Originally developed for use at Milwaukee County Stadium, it is still served on hot dogs and brats at its replacement, Miller Park....
, a popular condiment mostly associated with Milwaukee.
Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment is a gaming and racing operations company that focuses on racing venues that offer video gaming machines, poker rooms, table games, restaurants, retail shops and hotels. The company operates more than 10,000 video gaming machines in such places as New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Delaware North Companies International provides food service and hospitality to international sporting and entertainment venues including Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
, Pride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...
and the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
tennis tournament.
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts was founded in 1992 following the company’s winning bid for primary concessions at Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
. The company now operates at other venues including Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
, Niagara Falls State Park
Niagara Falls State Park
Niagara Falls State Park is located in the City of Niagara Falls, New York in Niagara County. The park has the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls, and part of the Canadian Falls....
, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the visitor center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It features exhibits and displays, historic spacecraft and memorabilia, shows, two IMAX theaters, a range of bus tours of the spaceport, and the Shuttle Launch Experience, a simulated ride into...
and Gideon Putnam Resort (among others). The company prides itself on its sustainability program, GreenPath©.
Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services operates food, beverage and retail at airports and toll plazas throughout the United States. The company operates at such venues as Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
, Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York, USA. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York as well as Southern Ontario, Canada...
, and the Detroit Metro Airport. The company recently opened the first-ever Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
retail store at Detroit Metro Airport’s new North Terminal.
As the owner and operator of TD Banknorth Garden, Delaware North Companies Boston serves the venue's more than 2.5 million visitors each year. The stadium is home to the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics.
Achievements
- Five Delaware North Chefs competed in the 2008 Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany. Delaware North Companies Corporate Chef and Chief Culinary Ambassador Roland Henin coached the group. Each chef earned an award for their efforts. Executive Sous Chef Ambarish Lulay and Executive Chef Scott Green earned silver medals. Executive Chef Kevin Doherty earned a bronze medal. Executive Chef Tab Daulton and Sous Chef Rick Ortiz each earned diplomas of distinction.
- Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts won the Space FoundationSpace FoundationThe Space Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the global space industry through information and education programs. It is a resource for the entire space community - industry, national security organizations, civil space agencies, private space companies and the military around the...
's Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award in 2008