Suite Life

By Arlene Martínez

The Morning Call

May 16, 2008

Many of the biggest deals in business have long been made outside conference rooms, far from company doors.

So why not in a baseball stadium luxury suite offering Sam Adams Boston lagers, jumbo shrimp, international cheeses and Grey Goose vodka cranberry cocktails?

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs may not -- ahem -- sit atop the International League standings. That's beside the point to fans who get to watch the action from the plummy suites that line the dugout and mezzanine levels of Coca-Cola Park.

The spacious boxes offer more than standard business and networking opportunities. They also let employers reward employees with a chance to watch baseball in something approaching Steinbrenner style.

The suites are a significant investment, with companies signing either a six- or 10-year lease. One of the 20 boxes is owned by the IronPigs, and it's the only spot left -- you can rent it for $1,100 a night.

Though team officials declined to disclose costs, it's certainly not cheap. Food alone is costly, with the cheapest packages starting at $288, and that's excluding beverages (a six-pack of Bud Lite will set you back $20).

To offset costs, or perhaps because they don't intend to attend every game, several boxes are co-owned by several establishments. But company officials say they recoup their investment in indirect ways, be it strengthening client and employee relations, or sealing deals.

The key is making folks feel welcome the moment they enter the exclusive rooms. Companies have pretty much free rein in deciding the room's decor, which ranges from simple chairs and tables in some boxes, to the triple-hued paint job and brown leather couches in The Morning Call's elaborately furnished suite.

''They couldn't do anything overly crazy,'' said the team marketing services director Christa Linzey, who added all rooms have so far been tastefully decorated. ''We haven't denied any requests.''

Let's start with Coca-Cola, for which the Allentown ballpark is named. Not surprisingly, its suite is one of the nicest. Much thought went into matching the silver of the team's colors with the room's beverage holder and Coca-Cola logo, according to Tom Pippet, the soda company's director of sales and marketing for the Lehigh Valley and Coatesville region.

Fizzy glass bubbles -- to mimic carbonation -- hang above paisley bottles of soda that match two paisley round chairs. Like every other suite, the room includes a large flat-screen TV.

The idea behind the layout? ''Subtly but distinctively show Coca-Cola in a classy way,'' said Pippet before the start of a recent game. ''We get a lot of rave reviews for how it's designed.''

Pippet said the suite is used to reward and thank customers, and strengthen relations with potential clients. ''I would say you don't usually finalize a deal in this atmosphere but it opens an awful lot of doors,'' he said.

As Pippet spoke, Coca-Cola's Pittsburgh-based financial manager Bill Holtz walked into the suite, and headed for food and spirits. Catching sight of Holtz, Pippet joked: ''We let anybody in here, too, as you can tell.''

Just down the hall, a boisterous group from Bennett Toyota in Allentown welcomed new guests by touting their auto establishment. Bennett Toyota shares the suite with two other local Toyota dealerships. Bennett's general manager, John Grello, claimed to not remember which ones (He later 'fessed up: It's Krause Toyota in Fogelsville and Dick Milham Toyota in Lower Nazareth Township.

The Bennett suite was decorated by advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi. Potential clients may feel at home immediately by sitting in either of the two cozy couches or bringing their plate to the mod bar tables and leather stools.

Owner Rob Bennett uses the box to improve employee relations. ''It's building camaraderie. It builds a sense of teamwork,'' said Bennett, who last week enjoyed a home game with Grello, colleagues and a few friends.

Competition for the tickets creates a playful mood at work. Their holder even has a special name: ''Keeper of the Tickets.''

''It's great to give back to the customers. It boosts business for everybody,'' Grello said.

Grello and Bennett also see the box as a potential philanthropic tool. They're looking into letting nonprofit organizations or church groups use the box.

Or, Bennett suggested happily, professional area cheerleaders.

Back to being serious, Bennett said the goal in the end is to sell more Toyotas at its Hanover Avenue location.

Jaindl Farms, KNBT, Tallmar Hudders & Sorrentino PC and Buckno Lisicky & Co. share a suite, having divided the 72 homes games among themselves. Muted shades of tan provide a warm backdrop for the old-fashioned soda paintings hanging in the simply designed room. Cathy Jaindl, sister of owner David Jaindl, helped decorate the place, and she hopes it makes people feel cheerful and comfortable.

''It's for family fun. It's for customer relations. It's for

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