Home to the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Nashville Predators and events such as the annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the busiest venues in the U.S. In an effort to keep sports and entertainment fans safe while improving their venue experience, the arena recently installed a new screening solution.
“Bridgestone Arena is known as a premier entertainment destination, in part, because of the elevated experience we provide for our guests, with safety being a key pillar of that overall experience,” says David Chadwell, Vice President of Event Operations at Bridgestone Arena.
As such, 14 Evolv Express systems were installed at the venue’s various ingress points in October 2022, ahead of the first puck drop of the current NHL season. The system uses a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor technology to provide threat detection at high volumes and speeds.
Bridgestone’s Chadwell says, “Since installing the screening system at Bridgestone Arena, we’ve seen improvements across the board, including operational efficiencies and, most importantly, happier and safer guests.”
The same screening system is also used at the Tennessee Titans’ nearby Nissan Stadium, where, since its installation, it has detected 254 prohibited items in a three-game period. Prior to installation of the screening system, the Titans employed walk-through magnetometers and hand-held wands, which required 280 security personnel to work the gates. Installation of screening system allows the Titans to reduce the number of security personnel at the gates by 66%, freeing them to provide critical security monitoring outside and throughout the stadium.