Council awards Epic East Café concession to Cinnaholic amid debate over healthy image and revenue split

The Grand Prairie City Council approved a concession agreement to place a food and beverage vendor in the Epic East Café, voting to award the contract to Cinnaholic — a franchise proposed by local resident Connie Burks — for a one‑year initial term with two one‑year renewal options.

Christian App, general manager of the Epic, told council the Epic East Café serves members and event attendees and that the city solicited bids widely; Cinnaholic was the only responsive bidder to the solicitation that was sent to more than 98 vendors. App said the vendor projects roughly $500,000 in annual sales and that the city would receive a 10% commission on gross revenues — about $50,000 annually under the vendor’s estimate.

Why it mattered: Council debate centered on whether the vendor’s menu fits the Epic’s fitness and health image and on whether the city’s 10% commission was appropriate for a small local franchisee. Councilmember Curt Johnson, who served on the F & G committee that reviewed the bid, said he opposed the 10% commission rate and suggested 20–30% to compensate the city for marketing and the built‑in franchise advertising producers already receive. “I don’t believe Cinnaholic is a thing to have in a gym,” Johnson said, noting the menu’s indulgent items and potential mixed messaging for a fitness venue.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Bizania and other council members said the vendor’s proposed menu includes protein drinks and fruit options and that the operator is a certified local, minority‑ and woman‑owned business; they argued that giving a local entrepreneur an opportunity and testing the arrangement for one year was reasonable. Bizania noted the vendor is a Grand Prairie resident and a certified HUB vendor, saying the one‑year term provides an opportunity to reassess if the arrangement does not meet expectations.

Procurement and outreach: Staff said the solicitation targeted generic dining codes and location filters in the state procurement system; that method results in broader categories rather than highly specific lists (such as “juice/smoothie shops”), which helps explain why only one bid was received. Staff said 16 local vendors were on the notification list.

Council action: The council voted to award the concession contract to Cinnaholic, with the motion passing 6–3. The contract is one year with up to two optional one‑year renewals; the vendor would operate expanded hours and provide catering for Epic events. Councilmembers said they expect staff to return if the arrangement fails to meet operational or image expectations.