Providing a safe and inviting place for fans and families to come together is a priority for Saint Louis University and its partner, Spectra, which manages SLU’s 10,600-seat Chaifetz Arena. To enhance its preventative measures, SLU is installing walk-through metal detectors at all entrances of the arena.
Using metal detectors at major venues is increasingly becoming a best practice, with the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues installing them at their respective stadiums in 2015. Several other facilities that Spectra manages have added them as well.
Unlike the airport, fans won’t need to take off their shoes and belts, but they will need to empty their pockets of metal objects, including cell phones and keys, before entering the building.
The metal detectors will be in place for the Billiken women’s basketball game against Little Rock at Chaifetz Arena on Friday, December 1. The detectors will be used for subsequent games and ticketed events.
As this new process gets underway, officials are asking for fans’ patience and are encouraging patrons to arrive early – particularly for Billiken games and concerts – and to leave non-essential items at home.
As always, weapon of any kind are not allowed in the arena. For a full list of prohibited items and additional info on walk-through metal detector procedures, please visit the FAQ’s page on www.thechaifetzarena.com.