Industry Vertical
Streamlining Arena Security
Security should be sharing the limelight in a packed house
- By Mark McCormack
- Jan 01, 2017
Frustrated with a faulty analog security
setup, Chicago’s United Center set out
to raise their technology standards and
centralize operations through a network
system. A host venue to about 225 major
events annually, security staff no longer wanted to worry
about equipment malfunctions so that they could
maintain the venue’s chief goal: to create a safe environment
for its spectators, performers and employees.
The arena streamlined its security operations, both
through its deployed hardware of Axis network cameras
and its in-house command center running a VMS
platform. The security team now has a central location
to dispatch calls, monitor any potential incidents
on screen and make calls through the PA system.
Always a Packed House
Home to two historic sports franchises and a starstudded
entertainment lineup year-round, the United
Center is a renowned major venue located in the heart
of downtown Chicago. The arena hosts over 80 home
games for Chicago’s professional basketball and
hockey teams, the Bulls and the Blackhawks, on top
of countless music and performance acts throughout
the year.
With such a busy schedule, the site’s security staff
is not only charged with monitoring the flow of event
attendees, ranging from 16,000 to 22,500 depending on
the floor setup and capacity, but also operational teams
entering and exiting the premises. When the space is
being converted from an ice rink to a concert stage,
numerous staff and employees from different organizations
and production companies are constantly moving
throughout. The United Center maintains their primary
goal of creating a safe environment.
Shifting the Game Plan
The security staff at the United Center held concerns
about their prior surveillance system for its unnecessary
complications and poor quality. To scrap their
old DVRs, the team transitioned to a fully networkcompatible
system with help from Genetec.
Current count of cameras in and around the United
Center has eclipsed 304, where security can monitor
a selection of key areas, especially any potential
entrance into the building. These critical locations
include main gates, corridors and concourses, player
entrances by the loading dock and parking lots. Areas
with higher volumes of traffic are also under watch.
United Center implemented several fixed mini
dome cameras in many of its concession stands and
backstage areas that provide 360-degree views.
“We’re using those cameras in certain areas where
before, I would have had to use four fixed cameras just
to pick up that one space,” said Alex Hernandez, senior
director of security at the United Center. “Now I only
need one 360 camera and the job gets done. Those save
me on licenses, they save me on camera counts.”
To filter through a busy scene on a game day, the
United Center makes use of multiple PTZ cameras to
monitor a wide scene while being able to pan and zoom
in to an area of interest if needed. Specifically, highspeed
PTZs are deployed outdoors to keep an eye on
parking lots and the surrounding area in 1080p quality.
Depth Chart of Cameras
Considering the mix of the arena’s indoor and outdoor
needs both during the day and at night, the United Center
works side-by-side with Convergint Technologies to
pinpoint a solution to each unique scenario. When it
came to securing a new building addition on the east
side of the venue, Hernandez called on Convergint for support on the new installations.
“We sat down before the new addition
was finished,” said Greg Kubacki,
vice president of Convergint Technologies.
“Because of the flexibility and the
styles and camera types that Axis offers,
we were able to pick and choose within
just that one manufacturer’s realm to
meet the different needs in different areas.
For the vault areas, the wide open
areas, the retail areas and the exterior
parking lot views.”
Collaboration on the system has
been key, as the United Center’s IT
group continues to do a sizable amount
of the cabling work while Convergint
steps in as a helpful asset throughout
the process.
“We work well with Convergint in
ordering all of the cameras and equipment,”
Hernandez said. “They come
out and do software upgrades and work
with our tech department to make sure
everything is running smoothly.”
Committing to a Strategy
Challenges faced by the United Center
come in all forms, from operational to
security and public safety. The administrative
staff is able to use the system to
confirm time and attendance of employees.
Dockworkers verify delivery times
in case of any discrepancies. Loss prevention
is always a concern with a main
team store and tens of retail and merchandise
kiosks throughout the arena.
With that, the United Center faced a
decision in centralizing its security system,
where it has decided to standardize
on Axis as operations grow. “Now’s
a perfect time,” Hernandez said. “We’re
constructing several buildings, so we
think, why not do it the right way now
instead of having to go back?”
Prospects Down the Road
Though the venue deploys a number of
Quad HD network cameras that take
advantage of Axis’ Zipstream Technology,
Hernandez has plans to add more
cameras to the network that have that
capability in order to continue saving
on storage. Many of the fixed cameras
throughout the concourses and seating
bowl record on motion, though a selection
do record continuously in high
volume traffic spots, like employee entrances
and main gates. This creates a
need for added storage considering all
of the newly installed equipment.
“Our goal is to get more storage by
going with Zipstream-enabled cameras,”
Hernandez said. “That is always a huge
factor for us, to save on storage space.”
Additional target areas of consideration
for future upgrades include the
facility’s access control system, which
Hernandez is aiming to centralize and
connect into the Genetec platform.
With upcoming additions to the facility
and ever-changing technologies,
the United Center put itself on the fast
track to long-term success by implementing
a scalable system and focusing
on future progress toward expanding
its efforts.
This article originally appeared in the January 2017 issue of Security Today.