"Security kept front and center in design of new venues" by Kelly Kaskan, Volume 8; Issue 43; Page 24-25

This article discusses the how security issues have become one of the main factors in the design of a new sports arena. Before 9/11, nobody worried about the possibility of someone driving their car, loaded with a bomb, into the arena. Now, it is one of the main "best practice" design elements to put the building far enough away from the road and to put stairs up to the main entry to prevent just such and event from happening. Other "best practice" designs include an increased number of security cameras and air ducts on rooftops to prevent the possibility of a terrorist spreading noxious substances throughout a facility.

While security is a main concern, so is the overall appearance and design. The designers job is to make the venue as safe as possible while trying their best to keep if from looking like a "concrete box". Barry Silberman best describes the problem by saying "It's an event building; you want the public to feel welcome, but you also want the bad guys to stay out". With the way things are today, i don't mind sacraficing a little bit of comfort for overall safety.