The Cronin Group and Lawn on D Are Forming a Food-Filled Partnership

A favorite summer hangout in South Boston has an even more promising future after making a deal with a local restaurant group. The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, which oversees Lawn on D, signed a food and alcohol contract with Rebel Restaurants that guarantees the authority retains 15 percent of gross food and beverage sales at the venue, The Boston Globe reported.

Rebel Restaurants, which is an affiliate of The Cronin Group (Jerry Remy's, Whiskey Priest, Temazcal), has agreed to a three-year deal, with two possible one-year extensions, meaning Boston could see much more of Lawn on D's outdoor event venue. As a result of this deal, the venue will apparently offer an expanded menu, as Boston Restaurant Talk reported. In 2015, the space also attracted a hefty number of food trucks.

Lawn on D provides a number of free public events and programs, and last year it operated at a $2.3 million loss, the Globe reported. This deal could potentially cut some of those losses. Measures may also be taken to rent out space on the lawn for private events, adding further revenue. The Cronin Group could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on equipment for the space, as well as a liquor license.

Lawn on D opens for the season at 12 p.m. on May 21 and will stay open until October.