[sanddrag]

Thankyou for starting this thread David. Carrying large and heavy items down steep arena steps is recipe for disaster. I would agree with the above and I'd like to state a couple more. But before I do, let's remember this thread is not for complaining but for hopes of improving the event for next year.

Outside Access and Signage.

This is what I witnessed happen to a very eager specatator, on more than one occassion. She tried to enter near the Whistle Stop where the sign says "Team Entrance" She is told they can't get in that way, and they must go to the other side of the arena by walking all the way around the outside. She says "I've been all the way over there, and they told me to come over here. I had a hard enough time finding where I'm supposed to go, and then I get here and you tell me to go back there. How do I get into this place?" It was pretty bad. The Forum looks the same all around the outside and it is very very confusing where you are supposed to park and enter. The venue staff seemed to be clueless. More signage and coordination with the venue staff would help visitors immensly. Additionally, I know of a couple teams who were waiting Thursday morning at the entrance they were told, and 8:30 came and they were told they weren't opening yet. Meanwhile, other teams were pouring in through another entrance. Thursday morning coordination could definitely use some improvement.

On the topic of signage, I never saw the FLL and Vex setups because I never knew where they were.

Access in the stands.

It was a problem last year and was only slightly better this year. Dangerous conditions exist in the stands. The amount of trash that people can slip on is unbelieveable. Additionally, there is no walkway for sideways movement. People have to climb over other people, at risk of falling, to move sideways in the stands. Either that, or they must walk all the way up, and all the way back down. And when people are in a rush, they run. We don't want them running down steep stairs. People are tired. People are in a rush. Why do they have to go up and back down 40 feet to move sideways 15?

There is an easy solution, I don't know why it hasn't been implemented. Take the first two rows of seats that go all the way around the playing field half of the arena, and don't let anybody sit there. Reserve those rows for a walkway. Easy.

I will complement the arena for putting in many more stairs from the floor to the stands than they did last year. But we are still missing that element of sideways access while in the stands.

Secutiry and safety
Perhaps instead of the Arena staff watching people go in, they can check all their large coats, purses, bags, etc for weapons like they do at some other regionals. Yes it is inconvenient but I would definitely feel safer than just those pink signs saying "don't bring guns in here"