True North Sports and Entertainment (TNSE) is making a breakaway from the old, and looking to score with fans by creating new game-day experiences and venue updates this Winnipeg Jets season.
For starters, it’s going to be a lot easier for fans to “jet” into the arena with a new security system.
“You can just walk right through and the system will flag you… if there’s anything that’s a threat on you. From a security perspective, if there is, then there’s a secondary security screening that they would have to go through,” said Dawn Haus, the senior vice president of culture and guest experience at TNSE.
She said the AI-assisted system is designed to maximize safety as well as flow into the arena.
“We used to experience lengthy lineups in our vestibules, and people would have to go through and wait for quite a while before that they could come into the building. Now we expect that those really long lines, and long waits, will be alleviated because most people are going to just be able to walk right through.”
While it’s a rookie concept to the Canada Life Centre, she said it’s already proved itself at pre-season games and concerts.
“We still have items that we identify that cannot be coming into the building. And the system does pick that up and has been caught through security screening,” she said.
Once fans make it past security, they’ll notice other additions to the arena’s roster, including two new concession stands: Carvery Sandwiches and The Sweet Spot.
“We’re ever changing with everybody else’s changes or trends as far as what we enjoy to eat, we don’t want to eat the same thing every day,” said TNSE’s executive head chef, Richard Duncan. But, he added, the classics haven’t been retired.
“If you want burgers, you want the Jet dog, we still have all those offerings, of course.”
Once in the arena, fans will be rocked by a Zamboni-fresh sound system with 120 speakers, and a new house band called “Mach 10.”
“During the intermissions of the past, it’s been a lot of videos and kind of just a theater. But now we’ve got a bit of a party and the intermissions and the pregame. Nothing like live entertainment there rocking the house,” said Kyle Balharry, TNSE’s senior director of game presentation.
The switch to the new sound system from the previous 12-year-old one, was made using survey feedback from fans, he said.
“One of the things that keeps coming up is the clarity of the sound in the facility. So we decided to really upgrade the system, give the fans what they want and also the players. It just sounds unbelievable in here now,” he said.
Fans will be able to experience all these changes — and more — come puck drop for the Jets’ home-opener this Friday, when the team takes on the Chicago Blackhawks.