Catering and Restaurant Services at the Empire Room and Somerset Room at the New York State Fairgrounds

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (“Licensor” or the “Department”) to invite qualified bidders (“Respondents”) to submit proposals to provide catering and restaurant food and beverage services at the Empire Room and Somerset Room at the New York State Fairgrounds (“Fairgrounds”) on a year-round basis.

The Empire Room and Somerset Room are located in the Art & Home Center, which is a versatile facility that includes several conference rooms, a theater and a demonstration kitchen. The recipient of the contract award from this RFP (“Licensee”) shall cater and book events in the Empire and Somerset Rooms, including but not limited to, conferences, individual events, parties, and retreats. Full-service restaurant operation or operating the venue in conjunction with a winery, brewery, cidery, distillery, or similar establishment with food service, is not required but may be provided at the discretion of the selected Licensee. For a detailed description of the Licensed Premises, please see Section 2.1 of this RFP.

The contract resulting from this RFP will commence on June 1, 2025 and end on December 31, 2029.

Optional Site Visits: February 26, 2025 at 10:00 AM (local time) and   February 27, 2025 at 1:00 PM (local time)

Deadline for Submission of Written Questions: March 10, 2025 by 3:00 PM (local time)