“This letter serves to give you advance notice of the ASM Global exiting the Nutter Center,” ASM Global human resource Director Kimberly Miller said in the document dated Feb. 12. “This closing will involve cessation of all operations of ASM Global, Savor and termination of all employees at the site from ASM Global payroll.”
The job cuts will involve four managers and 73 staff members in food and beverage operations at the Nutter Center, according to the letter.
On Friday, Miller declined to comment on the issue.
The university and the contractor “have been engaged in productive and amicable negotiations to establish an agreement for Savor to operate the food and beverage component of the Nutter Center. The parties were unable to come to agreement on terms,” WSU communications Director Seth Bauguess told the Dayton Daily News.
Bauguess said the university also contracts with Quest, a third-party food service vendor, for food and beverage service, and that Quest has agreed to expand its operation, taking over the food and beverage operations at Nutter Center.
“Quest and Savor are working together and we anticipate there will be no disruption in the delivery of services,” Bauguess said. “Quest has reached out to those employees who were employed by Savor and expressed that they would like to keep many of the same employees so It is not known how many current Savor employees may be impacted by this change.”
Bauguess confirmed that Savor’s food and beverage services would end Feb. 23.
“Additionally, Wright State has an active agreement with ASM Global to assist with booking events and shows at the Nutter Center, and that relationship is not impacted,” Bauguess added.
The university announced last April it would be partnering with Savor to manage concessions and catering at the Nutter Center.
Savor is the culinary division of ASM Global, which touts itself as the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences and venue management.
Savor would oversee concessions during Wright State basketball games, as well as events and concerts, the university said in the announcement. Savor started its service at the Nutter Center July 1, records show.
