High Profile Security

Hard Rock Stadium opts for single source integrated solution

South Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium is home to worldclass entertainment events and sports teams, including the Miami Dolphins, University of Miami football team, Orange Bowl and concerts. As with any high-profile entertainment complex that draws more than one million visitors every year, the stadium faces complex and constantly evolving security challenges.

In 2015, stadium owners began a massive, $350 million renovation of the arena, and were committed to partnering with a single security provider. They selected G4S to deliver a single-source, integrated security solution. The stadium’s security program consists of modern software and hardware to manage access control, identity management, video surveillance and incident management. The hub of the solution is the G4S Security Command Center.

Operating 24/7, highly-trained security staff maintain a watchful eye inside and outside the stadium and are able to communicate with concierge, gate and roving patrol staff who can respond quickly to incidents in and around the facility. The command center not only centralized the stadium’s security operations, but also enhanced the efficiency of communications, surveillance and control.

Security staff consist of custom protection officers (CPO) and upscale security officers (USO), who are recruited and screened according to their experience, temperament, training and the unique environment they will be standing post. Both CPOs and USOs meet stringent qualification guidelines that require a degree in criminal justice, police science, security administration or military or law enforcement experience.

Staff are equipped with Secure Trax, a mobile officer-management platform that enables guard tour check-ins, checkpoint verifications and compliance reporting to increase efficiency. Secure Trax allows security managers and CSOs to see where and what officers are doing at all times. It also provides customized safety and facility inspections and real-time incident reporting.

Prior to the renovation, Hard Rock Stadium maintained multiple security vendor relationships, which were costly and difficult to manage. Partnering with a single-source provider for hardware, software, systems integration and security staff greatly streamlined the process during the construction/installation phase and ongoing security program management. Working with one company simplified communications and saved money.

Hard Rock Stadium selected AMAG Technology’s Symmetry Access Control system. The system provides a modern, networked and integrated solution, ensuring that only people with appropriate access are able to enter specific areas. It automatically locks and unlocks doors on schedule, providing tighter security for more sensitive areas such as offices and locker rooms. Instant lock-down capabilities also allow the security team to change the level of security if an emergency takes place, allowing security staff to better control the situation.

Security and safety incidents occur every day, and the stadium must proactively investigate and manage them before they escalate. To help manage incidents, Hard Rock Stadium chose RISK360, an incident and case management platform also from AMAG Technology. The platform collects data and automates alerts so security officers can ensure proper procedures are followed and communicated. The platform allows the security team to identify trends and potential threats and address them before they escalate.

Across the entire facility, more than 400 high-resolution cameras provide surveillance. The strategically placed cameras provide “eyes everywhere,” for the security team, which is critical in massive crowd situations like football games or concerts.

“We’ve had positive results with the integration of the security force and technology, said Joe Cicini, senior director of security, Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium. “The security team proactively uses surveillance and access control systems to track incidents to their origin and follow through using the RISK360 case management platform that sends real-time alerts directly to me.”

Hard Rock Stadium determined their risk posture to design and deliver a modern, integrated security solution that consists of video, access control and security staff. The outcome is a model for stadium security that protects employees, athletes and celebrities and allows visitors to enjoy entertainment in a safe and secure environment.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.