Health inspectors met with Spectrum Center reps ahead of NBA All-Star events

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NBA All-Star events are in full swing, and they’re all centered around the Spectrum Center in uptown.

A scathing report last year called the arena the worst in the country for food safety, so Channel 9 looked into what’s being done to fix any issues.

[PAST COVERAGE: FOOD SAFETY: Panthers, Hornets facilities rank among worst in US]

The report from ESPN in December ranked the Spectrum Center the worst in the nation for stadium food.

“I think the Spectrum Center does fairly good on their inspections,” Mecklenburg County Health Manager Stephen Graham told Channel 9.

Graham has inspected the Spectrum Center in the past. He didn’t just see the report from ESPN, but he did supply the data.

Among the arena’s 19 food stands, more than 180 violations were considered "critical" by inspectors since 2016. That’s on top of regular violations.

In 2016, inspectors “observed beer leaking from ceiling in bar area.” That same year, inspectors said a “bartender then bare handed lime and placed in glass.”

Last March, they “observed employee not washing hands before donning gloves.”

The Spectrum Center responded by saying the report was subjective and that all concerns were addressed.

[PAST COVERAGE: New inspection report shows improved sanitation grades at Spectrum Center]

Channel 9 learned, in light of the report, Spectrum Center representatives met with inspectors just last week to prepare for the All-Star Game crowds.

There’s a lot on the line to get right, and no one knows that more than Don Brizes who teaches at the culinary school at Johnson and Wales.

“It’s a big liability, lots of people coming into town, thousands coming in for the basketball game,” Brizes said.

His school works with health inspectors and says extra care needs to be taken for events like this.

“When you’re feeding a large population like you see at the stadium or at the ball park, that’s a lot of people that can be affected," Brizes said.

He said he was confident the Spectrum Center could handle it and so is the county, pointing out that all the vendors have “A” grades and some were re-inspected just days after the report came out.

Levy, the company that provides food service at the Spectrum Center, sent Channel 9 a statement saying, in part, “Our ongoing practices of reviewing sanitation practices with every team member before each event ensures we continue to operate at the highest level.”

Cox Media Group