AMERICAN FOOD & VENDING OUTBIDS GRANDSTAND SALES FOR NY STATE FAIR CONTRACT

A politically connected company that ran the lucrative New York state fair grandstand concession for decades was outbid for the contract this week by another vendor with a fondness for politicians.

New York's Department of Agriculture and Markets announced Friday that American Food & Vending Corp. won a contract expected to be worth hundreds of thousands per year to manage the concession that sells the most beer at the fair.

During the one year deal, American Food will pay the state 31.25 percent of its concession revenue up to $750,000 and 33 percent of revenue above that. The state can renew the contract for up to three more years.

Last year, the grandstand concession sold $1.8 million in food, beverages and novelties, but five fewer grandstand concerts are scheduled this year.

American Food is replacing Grandstand Sales Inc., which has managed the concession for at least 25 years, said Frederic Pierce, the fair's spokesman. He said Grandstand Sales, the only other bidder, offered to give the state 25 percent of its revenue.

Grandstand Sales, run by Gary Bobbett, a former business partner of former fair Director Tom Young and a longtime supporter of Democratic candidates, has contributed $12,448 to politicians since 1999, according to records filed with the state Board of Elections. American Food, a Geddes firm run by Martin Wells, contributed $76,037 to politicians, with nearly half of that going to state Sen. Thomas Libous, R Binghamton.