People planning to attend various upcoming events at many of Arizona’s largest venues can expect to encounter additional security precautions following a recent mass shooting in Las Vegas. Although organizers state that security is always one of their top priorities, experts continue to evaluate safety measures in an effort to initiate improvements. Some venues and events where attendees could see additional security measures include:
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Chase Field
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Gila River Arena
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Lost Lake Festival
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Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
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Outside Lands Music Festival
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Rude 66 festival
Since many officials are remaining mum regarding the details, it remains unclear how officials will adjust security strategies in light of the shooting. For instance, Scottsdale-based live event safety and security expert Steven Adelman said, “Maybe we’re going toward a more robust security system, more security guards, more bag checks, more pat downs.” Adelman also indicated that while officials can control events within a venue, it can be challenging to monitor variables on the outside while providing a comfortable balance between security and privacy.
“I mean, last week we had some run-throughs on different scenarios for the arena. It’s a real tragedy, you know. If someone is going to set up in a hotel room 33 stories up, it’s tough to stop that. But we work at trying to make sure our venues are safe all year round. That’s why when you go to the buildings a lot of times you have to go through a metal detector, things like that to make sure we’ve got a safe environment,” said Arizona Coyotes President and CEO Steve Patterson.
The Rude 66 festival scheduled in Kingman stated it will have security posted at all entry and exit points in addition to a local police presence. Fans can expect bag searches before being granted access.
