The reusable drinkware will reduce single-use waste in premium spaces at the stadium
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have partnered with Bold Reuse to provide reusable drinkware for alcoholic beverages in premium spaces at Providence Park, the club announced today. The collaboration aims to reduce single-use waste and promote a more sustainable matchday experience as a part of the club’s Green is Gold campaign for the 2024 season.
- Bold Reuse: Learn how it works at Providence Park
- Green is Gold: Learn more about club's nature conservation and sustainability initiatives
“We are proud to partner with Bold Reuse, an innovative and established organization that’s committed to making a positive impact on the environment,” Chief Operations Officer Ashley Highsmith said. “Transitioning to reusable drinkware is an important step in our journey to making a more sustainable matchday at Providence Park. Making the switch in our premium spaces will provide important insight into how we can implement this program on a larger scale in the future.”
The initiative will roll out as a limited pilot program for all 2024 Timbers and Thorns FC matches in three premium spaces, including Tanner Ridge, the Lexus Lounge and The Club, where Park Provisions, the hospitality team at Providence Park operated by Levy, will utilize Bold Reuse cups. If the program is successful in reducing waste, Bold Reuse will expand into more areas of Providence Park.
"We are thrilled to support this first implementation of a reuse system within MLS. The Timbers are setting a new zero waste and guest experience standard for both leagues,” shared Heather Watkins, Co-founder of Bold Reuse. “Working with Providence Park showcases the continued leadership among major sports and entertainment venues in Portland, modeling to cities across the country how collaboration benefits the whole community and accelerates progress."
Fans ordering alcoholic beverages in the premium spaces will be served a Bold Reuse cup. Once finished, fans are encouraged to return the cup to a collection bin, which will be identified by signage that indicates “Reusable Cup Return.” Bold Reuse will collect the bins after each event and inspect, sanitize, and repack the cups to be reused at the next event.
“Reuse systems are the best option across all environmental metrics, so pilots like this are powerful ways we can learn together how best to implement a solution while maintaining an incredible fan experience,” said Mary McCarthy, Vice President of Sustainability for Levy. “When we look holistically at hospitality operations at stadiums, packaging is one of the key areas of opportunity to affect change, and we look forward to tracking the success of this pilot closely.”
In comparison to recycling and compostable packaging, reusable packaging proves to be the most sustainable option by lowering carbon emissions and energy consumption. For more information, visit https://www.boldreuse.com.
Bold Reuse
Bold Reuse is on a mission to end single-use packaging waste. We make transitioning to reuse easy and affordable, providing a premium guest experience while reducing waste. The Portland Timbers, Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Convention Center, Starbucks, and Imperfect Foods have trusted Bold Reuse to implement and scale their reuse systems, diverting nearly 4 million pounds of single-use products from landfills.
