PROFESSIONAL FACILITIES 2019 Creating the Best Fan Experience is Top of Mind in Professional Sports Facilities There’s more planning and strategizing occurring than meets the eye when new professional sports facilities rise from the ground or existing ones undergo a renovation. From choosing the best video boards to selecting the most innovative seating solutions; from the most optimal wireless connectivity to enacting security procedures to reduce insurance premiums, facility designers strive to develop the ultimate fan experience. Top construction companies monitor the industry to take advantage of the latest trends. Then, once a new building has had a few season cycles there’s more planning to keep it updated and fresh throughout its entire life span. Check out some of the best projects recently completed or in the works in this special professional sports facility industry section. Why Capital Improvement Planning Can Make or Break Your Stadium The thousands of systems and assist us in updating our yearly capital components that operate behind the project plan.” scenes that help pro sports teams This sort of strategic approach deliver great fan experiences all have often takes the form of Capital a finite lifespan. Once the shine has Improvement Planning (CIP). When worn off a new building, it is impera- helping clients with this service, Popu- tive venue operators understand how lous starts with a detailed facility con- to keep their building running for dition assessment and analyzes not decades. Populous has built a team just the building at hand, but com- dedicated to understanding building pares the building with their 36 years lifecycles – and the delicate balance of industry knowledge and best prac- between upgrading systems, renovat- XXX PHOTO CREDIT XXX PHOTO CREDIT tices. ing spaces or completely new builds. In partnership with Tampa Sports Authority, T-Mobile Park is undergoing a $29.8 million “Two of the most common ques- “At Populous, our focus isn’t just on Populous has kept Raymond James Stadium renovation for gate and premium seating tions we get from our clients are, ‘how in good shape since opening in 1998. enhancements. new buildings; more often than not, much money should we set aside for we’re helping our clients understand ically helps our clients stay on top of mond James Stadium in good shape this?’ and ‘how do we choose our big- how their facility works and how to things can impact their bottom line in since opening in 1998. gest priorities?’” said Chambers. keep it running smoothly for decades,” a big way. It’s a dramatically more “Operating a building that’s a pub- “Depending on the venue, construc- said Byron Chambers, principal at cost-efficient approach to managing lic entity is a budget balancing act,” tion costs for these improvements can Populous. “Every system, every com- a venue compared to waiting every said Mickey Farrell, senior vice presi- range anywhere from $1 million to ponent in our clients’ buildings has a 15 years, until you have a problem or dent of stadium operations for the $15 million per year. Priorities will vary lifespan – and those lifespans seldom until the lease runs out.” Tampa Sports Authority. “We’ve worked based on specific circumstances, like line up with each other. Having a Populous has helped its partners at with Populous yearly since Raymond age of the facility and how many long-term plan in place that systemat- the Tampa Sports Authority keep Ray- James Stadium opened in 1998 to years are left in the lease.” Sports-anchored Mixed-use How-to REQUEST THE FULL WHITE PAPER AT POPULOUS.COM/MIXEDUSE 30 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION I SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL NOVEMBER 18-24, 2019 PROFESSIONAL FACILITIES 2019 ADPRO SPORTS PERFORMANCE Est. cost: $1.9 billion BRIDGESTONE ARENA DUNEDIN STADIUM AND SCIENCE ADDITION Start date: December 2018 Description: NHL, NBA arena renova- Description: MLB spring training facil- Description: NFL training facility Completion date: August 2021 tion ity renovation expansion Location: Las Vegas, Nev. Major tenant: Nashville Predators Major tenant: Toronto Blue Jays Major tenant: Buffalo Bills Architect of record: Populous Architect of record: Populous BELMONT ARENA Architect of record: Populous Location: Nashville, Tenn. Contractor: Gilbane | Turner Con- Contractor: ARC Building Partners Description: New NHL arena struction Est. cost: $18 million Major tenant: New York Islanders CAROLINA PANTHERS Est. cost: $81 million Start date: 2018 Architect of record: Populous HEADQUARTERS Start date: April 2019 Completion date: 2020 Contractor: Hunt Construction/Barton Description: NFL headquarters, train- Completion date: 2020 Location: Buffalo, N.Y. Mallow ing facility and mixed-use develop- Location: Dunedin, Fla. Est. cost: $1.3 billion ment ALLEGIANT STADIUM Start date: May 2019 Major tenant: Carolina Panthers FUSION ARENA Description: New NFL stadium Completion date: 2021 Architect of record: Populous Description: New esports venue Major tenant: Las Vegas Raiders Location: Elmont, N.Y. Contractor: Mascara | Barton Malow Major tenant: Philadelphia Fusion Architect of record: Manica Archi- Start date: March 2019 Architect of record: Populous tecture Completion date: July 2022 Est. cost: $50 million Contractor: Mortenson | McCarthy Location: Rock Hill, S.C. CONTINUED, PAGE 35 K&K Insurance Brings Experience and Expertise to Sports Facilities Specializing in the sports, recre- of-the-art video cameras throughout ation and entertainment industry, K&K the venue. They also have security Insurance covers everything from rooms with multitudes of screens to small amateur sports to professional monitor both inside and outside the teams and large venues, as well as building. Additionally, a lot of facilities recreational organizations like health now have their own bomb-sniffing clubs and campgrounds. In business dogs. for more than 65 years, the company In a recent trend, facilities are offers 70 insurance programs. contracting their security to third-party K&K’s clients often seek safety and companies. “With this move, the facil- security advice on ways to reduce ities are shifting the liability of security the risk of claims to reduce their insur- operations to the third-party security ance premiums. “Based on the needs vendors,” said Mello. “This lowers the of the individual client, we can offer K&K INSURANCE cost of their insurance. They’ll carry Security cameras and security personnel help facilities reduce their insurance premiums recommendations on such things as their own facility insurance and also evacuation plans, installing barriers be named as an additional insured and using metal detectors,” said Lita Travis Walker, a senior underwriter at for K&K or our underwriters because on the security company’s policy, so Mello, senior vice president of K&K’s K&K who specializes in large sports we’ve always looked at large gather- they’ll be more protected.” recreation division. and entertainment venues. ings of people from a risk standpoint. The experts at K&K Insurance Recently, the industry has been “The general public has seen the This is not new and frightening to our understand the unique risks of sport- having many conversations about events that have occurred over the underwriters. They know how to evalu- ing events and sports facilities. “There security. “We’re getting a lot of ques- past few years and it’s at the top of ate the risk and provide appropriate are very few organizations that can tions about shooter coverage, bomb everyone’s mind right now,” said coverage for the specific venue.” bring to the table the level of experi- sniffing dogs and matters related to Lorena Hatfield, K&K’s marketing Most of the larger facilities and ence and expertise we have,” said the security of the venue itself,” said manager. “But this is not a new topic many of the newer ones have state- Mello. NOVEMBER 18-24, 2019 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION I SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL 31 PROFESSIONAL FACILITIES 2019 Daktronics Revolutionizes Centerhung Video Display at TD Garden As new facilities are being con- high resolution, clear image for the structed and older facilities are being advertisements of the teams’ sponsors. renovated, there has been an Additionally, the same 2.5-millime- increasing emphasis on elevating the ter product used in the centerhung fan experience. A common avenue display is being installed in the con- to create a high-level fan experience courses – the bars and other high is by installing state-of-the-art, high- gathering places, along with the club resolution video displays. The trend areas. has not only been to improve the res- “They’re creating an interesting, olution, but also to increase the dis- high-resolution facility at TD Garden,” play’s size. said Parker. “They’re not only trying to When the executives at TD Garden, blow out the experience in the bowl, home of the Boston Bruins and Boston but also within the concourses.” Celtics, decided to upgrade their Daktronics also has 1.9, 1.5 and video board as part of a renovation to 1.2-millimeter LED products that will the building, they turned to Daktronics. DAKTRONICS be replacing the LCD products tradi- The world leader in large-screen video Daktronics’ 2.5-millimeter centerhung video display provides TD Garden with more than four tionally seen in facilities. “LED products times the high definition resolution than their old display. displays, Daktronics has been rein- have a lot of advantages, including venting the way fans view displays at “Having 4K within a centerhung dis- hung displays have gotten bigger, it’s long life, up to 10 years,” said Parker, sports facilities since 1968. play that has a predefined footprint, become difficult for fans in the court- “and they’re very power conscious. TD Garden had four 13’x23’, 10 mil- while utilizing a 2.5-millimeter LED side seats to see the action on the With LED, it doesn’t take much power limeter centerhung video displays.