Centerplate Serves Thousands at San Diego Convention Center’s Homeless Shelter

June 22, 2020

While some major convention centers transformed into temporary medical relief centers as the pandemic took hold in early spring, one large venue has made the most of its empty exhibit halls and kitchens by caring for the community’s homeless individuals.

For the last 10 weeks, the San Diego Convention Center has served as a temporary regional homeless shelter for approximately 1,200 people as part of the City of San Diego-funded Operation Shelter to Home initiative, designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the city’s homelessness population. The SDCC is sheltering and feeding individuals previously assisted by local nonprofit human services organizations including Alpha Project, Father Joe’s Village and Veterans Village of San Diego. 

Since the temporary shelter opened on April 1, nourishing its residents has been an ongoing labor of love for the SDCC’s official food and beverage provider, Centerplate.

Led by Centerplate General Manager Bobby Ramirez and working in partnership with the City of San Diego, nonprofit shelter operators and convention center staff, the SDCC’s culinary team has prepared and served more than 275,000 boxed meals thus far, equating to approximately about 3,500 meals per day. To help reduce costs, the kitchen has used donated food items from other Centerplate venues with surplus inventory due to facility closures. 

While Ramirez and his team are accustomed to feeding large convention crowds at events such as Comic-Con International, this herculean effort has taken on a more altruistic meaning. 

SDCC

“In typical circumstances, we might have a huge event with four days of ramp-up, followed by two days to recover and plan for the next big event,” Ramirez said. “In this case, the operation is seven days per week with multiple meals per day, [and it] has certainly been a learning experience for our entire team.”

With ingredients locally sourced from farms and small businesses whenever possible, menus include breakfasts of hard-boiled egg, oats, fruit, pastries, juice and coffee; lunches of sandwiches or salads, and dinners of hot entrees with veggies and dessert. Centerplate Executive Chef Daryl O’Donnell and Senior Executive Sous Chef Sufi Karaien and their respective teams handle ingredient procurement, menu development, execution and delivery. 

Centerplate has implemented new health safety measures to keep staff safe, such as temperature checks, wearing gloves and masks, and reconfiguring the kitchen space to increase distances between food prep areas.

“During the course of this operation, we’ve developed multiple systems to enhance our existing procedures to create an even safer and more efficient work environment for our team,” Ramirez said. “Our menus and the methods in which we serve them have been adapted to ensure the nourishment and safety of our residents, as well, and certain aspects will carry on into the future as the new normal.”

According to Rip Rippetoe, president and CEO of the SDCC, the facility expects Operation Shelter to Home to continue for the next several months. The timeline for reopening for regular events will depend on state and local guidelines, he added. 

“We are in close coordination with the City to guarantee we can reopen for regular event activity at the appropriate time,” Rippetoe said. “There’s a strong sense of collaboration among everyone involved [in this effort]. As my colleagues and I remind each other, moments of adversity do not necessarily build character but they do reveal it. We have a truly special team.” 

 

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact