A nationally recognized dining and entertainment concept is planning its grand opening later this month in downtown Allentown.
Sports & Social, 645 Hamilton St., is slated to open Thursday, April 28 on the ground floor of Two City Center across from the PPL Center. A grand opening ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 am. The space previously housed The Hamilton Kitchen & Bar which closed in December.
The 8,000-square-foot space is part of a collection of venues hosted by Live! Dining & Entertainment, which also includes Xfinity Live! and live! Casino & Hotel at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Live! Dining & Entertainment is one of the largest and most successful developers and operators of restaurant and entertainment concepts in the country, according to a press release from the operator.
The Allentown venue plans to host live music and entertainment throughout the week and offer world-class sports experiences. It is to be equipped with the latest audiovisual technology and an LED display as the focal point, allowing guests to enjoy multiple games and sporting events at the same time.
Guests also have the opportunity to take part in a variety of board games, including skee-ball, foosball, pop-a-shot, arcade games, shuffleboard, and beer pong. The Allentown Center Square location’s dog-friendly outdoor patio will feature Sports & Social’s signature “Crush Bar,” offering a wide selection of specialty crush drinks while dining al fresco.
Tony Monaco, Vice President of Operations at Live! Dining & Entertainment, in a statement, described the venue as an “energetic” and “fun” environment.
In February, Sports & Social announced it would hire 100 employees to staff the new location. A spokesman for the venue told lehighvalleylive.com on Wednesday that the venue still has rentals. Interested applicants can find out more about the job descriptions here and fill out an application. You can also call 404-857-5987 for more information.
Sports & Social also plans to serve game-day favorites brewed from scratch, such as curated cocktails and specialty drinks, as well as a beer selection featuring national beers and local favorites from Bru Daddy’s Brewing Company and Fegley’s Brew Works. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays with the popular tag #brunchtails on social media platforms. There will also be other tabletop drinks and menu favorites like avocado toast, hearty breakfast skillets and a unique dish, Chicken & Bliss.
Sports & Social Allentown was designed by the internationally recognized Knauer Incorporated under the direction of Mark Knauer. Knauer has created some of the nation’s finest dining, hospitality and entertainment destinations. Some prominent Knauer projects are The Gage and Quartino in Chicago, Illinois; Bourbon House in New Orleans, Louisiana; The Avenue Steak Tavern in Dublin, Ohio; and the Ocean Prime steak and seafood restaurants in Boston, Massachusetts; Denver, Colo.; and Chicago, Illinois.
City Center Allentown is a major mixed-use development project that aims to transform the city’s downtown area into a vibrant urban community and regional center for business, culture and city life. City Center includes 3 million square feet between five Class A office towers; the Renaissance Allentown Hotel; 10 residential buildings; upscale retail and restaurant space; and the Velocity co-working space. City Center’s total investment in downtown Allentown is more than $800 million, with an additional $138 million in the planning stage.
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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann can be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
