National service provider hits one out of the park at Coors Field

Sponsored by Smart Care

On December 2, 2021, MLB owners voted unanimously to enact a lockout upon the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).

For months, the league and the MLBPA went back and forth negotiating a new agreement. During this time, players were unable to utilize team facilities. Almost 100 days after the lockout started, a new agreement was finally reached.

The Curveball: Opening After the Lockout

Aramark Sports Entertainment serves more than 150 award-winning food and beverage, retail, and facility service programs in premier stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and venues across North America – including Coors Field.

Diana Learn, AVP Area Manager at Smart Care, remembers getting the news that the lockout had ended. It was announced that Opening Day at Coors Field would be April 8. This, of course, was great news but meant that Coors Field had only a few weeks to get the stadium ready for fans – inclusive of its foodservice and refrigeration equipment. As the Rockies’ Todd Helton once said, “If you don’t set goals high, you’re not trying.”

In the past, Aramark had contracted smaller, local equipment service companies and struggled to find consistent service for Coors Field. With an onsite full-service restaurant, more than 40 concession stands, and a full catering kitchen, Coors Field needed a service provider that could diagnose and repair their kitchen and refrigeration equipment quickly and efficiently to minimize downtime.

A Home Run for Smart Care

In just 14 short days, Smart Care completed 100 work orders at Coors Field to repair, clean, and perform preventative maintenance on ice machines, refrigerators, freezers, pizza ovens, fryers, smokers and more in time for Opening Day.

To ensure smooth operations, Aramark at Coors Field entrusted Smart Care to staff their games with dedicated technicians onsite for any necessary repairs.

“Smart Care has been very responsive and reactive to our constant issues within the building,” said Justin Copp, Aramark Sports Entertainment’s Assistant General Manager. “Their techs are knowledgeable, and their management and dispatch team always get us taken care of when we need it. Having Smart Care as our primary service provider has helped our equipment stay running and last longer.”

Let’s Play Ball

At Smart Care, we understand that each foodservice provider and venue has their own unique needs. Smart Care provides customized programs, all delivered by highly trained technicians, for everything from hot- and cold-side foodservice equipment, to cold storage facilities

and HVAC. From repair services to preventive maintenance, we’re here to keep you up and running.

About Smart Care

Smart Care is the largest provider of comprehensive commercial mechanical services, including hot-side cooking equipment, stand- alone refrigeration, specialty coffee and beverage, complex rack refrigeration and HVAC.

Smart Care’s strong reputation and leading customer service have been built on the foundation of a high-quality technician base, an unmatched breadth of services and quick response times.

Smart Care is OEM-agnostic with the ability to service more than 10,000 types of equipment for food retail, restaurants, convenience stores, warehouse operators and other institutions. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Ill. with operations in all 50 states.

Additional information about Smart Care is available at smartcaresolutions.com.