No going back at MTS Centre

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This article was published 03/05/2017 (3252 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The MTS Centre has closed the door on its re-entry policy.

Starting Sept. 1, people attending events at the downtown Winnipeg arena will no longer be allowed to re-enter the building after exiting, True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd., the corporate entity that owns the MTS Centre, the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, announced Wednesday.

The directive is aimed at providing greater security, decreasing the heavy pedestrian flow from people crossing the streets around the building during games and events and stabilizing building air temperature, True North said. Re-entry exceptions, such as emergencies, child-care or medical reasons will be determined on a case-by-case basis by event staff and security.

“The MTS Centre is one of the last arenas in the NHL to introduce a no re-entry policy,” said Kevin Donnelly, senior vice-president of venues and entertainment. “It is an evolution, and we think we’re actually slow to adopt the policy.”

The Jets will become the sixth of seven Canadian-based teams, and the 23rd of 30 franchises in the league, to adopt such a policy.

The announcement was made Wednesday to “give advance warning, so people can make plans appropriately,” Donnelly told reporters on the main concourse level of the 16,000-seat MTS Centre. There will be a rolling-out of the policy for events this summer, allowing patrons re-entry through the main entrance at Portage Avenue and Donald Street only “to get people aware this is coming.”

“We do know some people don’t like the notion of yet another regulation… we recognize it is an inconvenience and we’re going to learn over the summer and watch what happens come Sept. 1. We want to make (attending the MTS Centre) a pleasurable experience,” Donnelly said as the sounds of workers engaged in the facility’s concourse renovations buzzed in the background.

No serious security incidents pushed the organization toward the move, he said. “It’s not something we’ve dealt with personally here, but it is something the (NHL) recommends you work to eliminate that threat.”

Based on data collected by the organization, the move will impact about 1,500 Jets patrons per game, True North said — a large percentage of them are likely people heading outside for a smoke, an activity that will be forbidden at the facility come Sept. 1.

“(Smokers) won’t be able to leave (and return). Primarily, that is the constituency of the people that will probably be most negatively impacted,” Donnelly said, adding there will be no outdoor area or indoor enclosure dedicated to smokers.

“We looked at that long and hard. Those facilities that do offer a compound or a patio of some nature, they have more space… we are bordered on all four sides by city-owned sidewalks,” he said.

Donnelly was careful, however, to mention no ticket-holder’s concerns would go unnoticed. “Ninety per cent of our patrons for hockey games aren’t impacted, but we will listen to the 10 per cent.”

The new policy will also effectively eliminate the practice of arena patrons running to nearby establishments mid-event for a cheaper alcoholic beverage. Because of its location inside the MTS Centre footprint, however, Moxie’s Grill & Bar may escape any such limitations.

“We are working with Moxie’s because that is a space we can preserve the security integrity (of),” Donnelly said. “As long as we can meet the NHL requirements to have that secure environment, then this wouldn’t impact Moxie’s… we’d like to see that remain consistent to what it is today.”

Moxie’s management did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

scott.emmerson@freepress.mb.ca