Dallas Police Department officials told City Council members last night that overflow crowds at the Final Four free concert series "could lead police to turn away concertgoers," according to Tristan Hallman of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The NCAA events are "expected to draw tens of thousands of people downtown in early April," and the three days of concerts "will be something of a new test" for the DPD. Assistant Chief Michael Genovesi said that the venue can "hold roughly 40,000 people, and police expect more than 50,000 people to show up April 5-6." Bruce Springsteen will "headline the final day’s concert, and it’s expected to bring in the biggest crowds." But Genovesi said that the evening of Friday, April 4, also could "pose problems." Downtown traffic will "become a mix of people coming in for a concert and people going home from work." Genovesi said that police will "use preventive measures to keep people away once the Reunion site starts to fill up." The department will "announce via its social media accounts, electronic signs and billboards to get out the word that they will not take any more comers" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/25).
COMPARE & CONTRAST: In Dallas, Jeff Mosier noted Arlington in hosting Super Bowl XLV and the Final Four are "similar enough to provide organizers valuable lessons" for next month’s event, as many logistics "remain the same." From "mass coordination among public safety agencies to understanding the best way to get fans inside AT&T Stadium, North Texas officials remember what worked and what didn’t" in '11. Populous, which coordinates Final Four logistics, was "already aware of the spread-out nature of North Texas." Populous Event Manager & Associate Principal Marc Klein said that after helping manage Super Bowl XLV, they "have a real world understanding of how long it takes to travel the 18 miles from downtown Dallas to AT&T Stadium in Arlington and the logistics of navigating around the stadium" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/23).
