Cody Dahlson

Tom’s Watch Bar is known for its high-energy atmosphere—how do you approach designing event experiences that really stand out for groups and watch parties?

With 360 degree viewing opportunities, live DJs, giveaway prizes, and interactive games—we really do put on the best watch parties and pre-game events. We also fully customize for full team takeovers before games, or corporate events for Holiday parties, corporate meetings, and everything between!

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You’ve got a wide scope—working across Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis, while leading a team of 18+ people. How do you stay connected to each market and keep everyone aligned while still allowing each location to have its own personality? 

Every market is extremely different and that's what makes it such a joy to have these different locations. We have standards for procedures, but there are many things we let the team on site take care of. Pittsburgh has a beautiful patio that overlooks a river and downtown across the river which makes activating the outdoor space super exciting. Indianapolis has an amazing private room for events that corporate groups really like to utilize. Minneapolis has a very large open floor plan which makes customizing and activating the space really fun as well.

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In early 2024 you worked with MNSE on events around the 2024 Big Ten Tournaments—can you share what that collaboration looked like from your perspective, and how successful it was for your team and the venue? 

Big Ten was great for Tom's across the board, but specifically being in Minneapolis really gave us the opportunity to showcase our venue but also how we can execute complex, multi-day events. The MNSE team was extremely easy to work with and diligent in planning so when the time came for the event, it all went really well! Fans getting to see our space and have our food/drinks before enjoying the tournament was really exciting for us to be a part of.

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What trends are you seeing in how guests want to use event spaces today, and how are you adapting your offerings to meet those expectations? 

We get a good span of what clients and guests are looking for. Some want full privacy, while others want to be in the hustle and bustle of the rest of the venue. Some of our venues make this a little more challenging, but specifically Minneapolis has some really great options as far as "privacy" or being mixed in with the chaos of a full game day.

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How do partnerships—whether with local businesses, teams, or organizations—help strengthen both your event offerings and the broader hospitality community?

 
This is an ever-changing industry. The only way to stay with it and keep up is with the partnerships we have with all three—local businesses, teams, and organizations. We have apartment partnerships where we offer special discounts to all residents from that building to come to Tom's and enjoy the food and atmosphere at a discounted rate. This is just one way we try to give back to the local community to thank them for supporting us! We couldn't do it without our sporting team partnerships as well as organizations such as MNSE, Meet Minneapolis, Minneapolis Downtown Council and more.

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Outside of work, you have a passion for theatre—has that influenced how you think about creating memorable, immersive experiences for guests?

My passion for theatre has helped me in many ways with my professional career. I got my degree in Musical Theatre which taught me many skills that I use daily. Believe it or not, sports are much more related to a theatrical experience than some may think. When planning events, I get to explore how we can elevate that experience within our four walls with things such as custom menus, additional live entertainment, welcoming special guest appearances, and really listening to the clients wants and needs and doing everything we can to make it happen!

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Do you have children? If so, are they involved in sports, and what types of activities do they enjoy? 

We have twins who will be 2 years old in July so not quite into sports yet, but we are very excited to be sport parents at some point! Right now it is a lot of climbing, jumping, and dumping all toys out of bins onto the floor to play with said bin.

If you could meet any athlete, past or present, who would it be and why? 

I would love to meet Bob Fosse—I know I know—some don't think dance is a sport, but it most definitely is!

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What is your favorite sports moment, whether as a spectator or participant? 

In college I was on the men's volleyball team at NDSU (Go Bison!) My freshman year I was one of two to make the team. While I didn't get to play very much, there was a tournament I got to play due to our starting setter being injured. It was so exciting to win that tournament and be a part of it!

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What motivated you to become a member of the MNSE Champions Council? 

MNSE has always been a great support to Tom's Watch Bar, and we wanted to show that we also want to be a good partner and support our community and guests the best way we can! We believe MNSE can help us do that as well with being a part of this council. We are looking forward to another great year!