Venue, sports officials fear bill allowing guns at events

by Larry Rodgers and Alia Beard Rau - Mar. 24, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

 

Concert-hall operators and officials from two Valley sports teams are concerned about a proposed law they fear could open the door to allowing firearms at arenas and stadiums.

Senate Bill 1201, which the House Government Committee is scheduled to hear Thursday, would require that guns be allowed into public buildings and events unless they have metal detectors, armed security guards, gun lockers and signs.
The measure applies to courts, libraries and city council chambers. It creates an exemption for events or facilities, such as publicly funded arenas, that serve alcohol, requiring them to post signs and provide gun lockers if they want to prohibit guns. However, events without alcohol would likely have to comply

 

Opponents say the bill's language is unclear and could foster the misperception that Arizona allows guns into major events such as Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Suns games or rock concerts, where they believe alcohol and charged-up fans shouldn't mix with firearms.

The confusion has led to discussions among the Valley's major sports teams and operators of large entertainment venues.


"This bill will give the impression that Arizona allows guns into concerts and basketball games," said Terry Burke, president of major concert promoter Live Nation Southwest.

"There is a perception that you are allowed to bring guns everywhere, but then there are all these exceptions."

Burke said it appeared the bill would allow guns at family shows that don't serve alcohol, such as "Sesame Street Live" or "Disney on Ice."

If venues are forced to install additional security measures, critics say it could lead to higher ticket prices. The bill also could provide another reason for musical acts to avoid Arizona in the wake of a boycott linked to the immigration law passed in 2010.

Sports and entertainment executives said the bill could affect several venues, including: Phoenix's Chase Field, US Airways Center, Comerica Theatre and Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion (formerly Cricket Wireless Pavilion), Glendale's University of Phoenix Stadium and Jobing.com Arena and the Mesa Arts Center.

All these facilities are owned, leased, operated or controlled with an element of public funding, which defines them as public establishments under SB 1201.

But the Citizens Defense League, the gun-rights group that wrote the bill, said the measure would not apply to arenas and stadiums that serve alcohol.

"No one understands the gun laws," league spokesman Charles Heller said, contending that venues that serve alcohol are governed by a separate set of laws. "(SB 1201) won't impact them."

The bill would not apply to sports events held at universities, such as football games at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, because property that belongs to K-12 schools, universities and community colleges fall under a different section of state law and would not have to comply with SB 1201.

Private facilities would be exempt from the bill's requirements.

Venue concerns

An agent for John Mellencamp and ZZ Top said he couldn't imagine any artist agreeing to appear at any venue that allowed guns in the audience.

"The fear of every performer onstage is that some nut will shoot them," said veteran Los Angeles agent Bob Merlis of Merlis For Hire.

Ralph Marchetta, an executive with the Suns and the team's home venue, US Airways Center, said, "It could have a chilling effect on ticket sales, a chilling effect on artists and acts. We are opposed to it."

Arizona Cardinals executive Mark Dalton said that team also opposed the bill because "its applications would be impractical and imprudent for sports arenas and stadiums."
Bill sponsor Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said the bill wasn't intended to target arenas, just public buildings. But he said he would like to see the metal detectors and armed-security-guard requirements expanded to include arenas at some point.

"I think fans would like that," he said, adding that it would give them more assurance that the facility was safe.

The only way to ensure there are no guns, he contended, is to have metal detectors - or build facilities using only private money.

"If they build their own stadium, they can do whatever they want to," Gould said.
Installing metal detectors, hiring additional security staffers and erecting gun-storage lockers could drive up ticket prices for fans.

According to an analysis by legislative staff, it would cost venues about $5,000 per door to install a stationary metal detector, signage and a gun locker. It would cost $45,000 to $90,000 annually pay for armed security at each door.

"Any time you have an increased cost, somewhere along the line that cost ends up at the box office," Burke said.

Currently, most Valley sports and entertainment venues prohibit all weapons except those carried by off-duty peace officers.

Jim Foss, vice president and general manager of Jobing.com Arena, said that venue had used metal detectors on 1.2 million visitors per year since 2006.

"It slows things down, but we've done it for a few years now, so people have become accustomed to it when they come back to Jobing.com," he said.

Security measures vary among venues, but all major local sports and concert venues scrutinize patrons as they enter on some level. Most arenas check purses and many forbid backpacks.

Patrons entering University of Phoenix Stadium and the Ashley Furniture amphitheater are subject to full pat-downs.

Representatives of the sports teams are working with lawmakers to amend the bill to ensure that they are excluded from requirements.
Gould said he would reconsider an amendment to get his bill through the House.


Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/03/24/20110324guns-public-events-arizona.html#ixzz1HVVacQwb