photo by: Mike Yoder

The Crimson Corner Market is operated by the Clinton Parkway Hy-Vee and has a variety of sandwiches, wraps, fruit, salads and many other items at Sports Pavilion Lawrence.

A new company will soon be taking over concessions for the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department, including the café at Sports Pavilion Lawrence.

The Clinton Parkway Hy-Vee has provided concessions for the Lawrence Parks and Recreation facilities for the past five years. Hy-Vee management said it recently decided not to renew its contract, mainly so it could focus on its soon-to-open restaurant and bar, Hy-Vee Market Grille.

“We’ve had a great relationship with the city — sometimes business changes and we need to make sure that our focus is where it needs to be, and we don’t want to shortchange anybody,” said Clinton Parkway Hy-Vee store director Tara Jo Brown.

Brown said Hy-Vee’s contract expired in December, but it continued operating concessions through mid-August on a good-faith basis. At that point, Hy-Vee discontinued its concession services at Sports Pavilion Lawrence — where it operated the Crimson Corner Market — and the indoor and outdoor aquatic centers. Hy-Vee continues to operate concessions at the city’s outdoor sports complexes, and Brown said it will do so through the fall sports season.

The city put out a bid for the concessions contract this summer. The contract covers Sports Pavilion Lawrence, Clinton Lake Youth Sports Complex, Clinton Lake Adult Softball Complex, Holcom Park Athletic Complex, as well as both the indoor and outdoor aquatic centers.

Two separate companies could split up those locations, as the bid provides the option to make a proposal for only the concessions at the Sports Pavilion, 100 Rock Chalk Lane. When Hy-Vee operated the café, it sold sandwiches, wraps, fruit, salads and a variety of snacks. Those concessions were offered mainly during tournaments or when several youth games were scheduled, said Tim Laurent, recreation operations manager for the city.

Laurent said that the parks and recreation department is currently conducting interviews for the concession services, and a decision will likely be announced early next week.