BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Damian and Vicky Parker, who brought a meat pie business to Buffalo nearly eight years ago, opened Parker's Buffalo River Campus with champagne on Friday. The athletic field that's the first of its kind in Western New York is now ready to welcome soccer and rugby players of all ages.

"Soccer and rugby have very little to no facilities in Buffalo, so that's why we thought to take it on ourselves to build a full, international spec pitch for the community," said Damian Parker. 

The pitch is located on the property where Parker and his wife Vicky first opened The English Pork Pie Company, and now continue to expand their edible and entertainment offerings  in South Buffalo. 

"We're looking to build Parker's Buffalo River Campus as the next destination in Buffalo, the place to go. We're very, very open to growing our project in the direction that our partnerships dictate," said Ian Woods, who does marketing for Parker's. 

One of those partnerships is with Medaille College. It started when the head coach of its men's and women's soccer teams, Michael Blythe, came in for some fish and chips. 

"I was looking for a facility for our program in the local area, which didn't exist," said Blythe. 

After struggling to find places to play, thanks to Parker's Pitch, the Mavericks will finally have somewhere to call home this fall. 

"We're delighted to be on it, I think the other programs are going to be a little bit envious. I think it's going to help us with our recruiting. I don't know a young 17-, 18-year-old budding soccer player that wouldn't want to play here," said Blythe.  

Or eat there, as Parker's is also building a food court for the campus that will feature 12 new restaurants and a winter bar. The food court will open later this summer. 

"It's going to be a whole world of food and some of the best of Buffalo brands will be found inside," said Parker, "So we can hold sports events, and we can feed large amounts of people."

Accordingly, large amounts of people will be right across the street working at SolarCity and next door at the future John W. Danforth site. 

Parker has long-term plans to grow as well, with a vision for a soccer stadium with a hotel and mixed-use space. 

"The stadium we've designed is built on growth rings, so as the community use it, we can add another growth ring to the stadium so it just gets bigger and bigger as people use it and get behind it." 

They hope to start building the first ring in the next couple years.