The Carrier Dome will be a secure venue for Thursday’s Rock the Dome concert due to the collective efforts of the Department of Public Safety, the Syracuse Police Department, Dome staff and hired ushers.

Safety precautions for the Ludacris and Rick Ross concert will follow a similar plan to the one used for the annual spring Block Party concert, DPS Capt. John Sardino said.

DPS, in conjunction with SPD, Dome staff and ushers, will monitor all gates into the event space. Officials will also supervise individuals attending the concert as they enter the Dome and throughout the show, Sardino said.

Rob Dekker, University Union president, said of the approximately 9,500 tickets available, about 6,000 to 7,000 tickets have been sold for Rock the Dome thus far; but he said he will not know the final ticket count until Thursday.

Dekker said safety is very important to the organization. It is not only for the students, but for the talent as well.

‘We absolutely take security seriously,’ Dekker said. ‘It is certainly a priority.’

Last year’s Block Party, featuring Kid Cudi, sold about 15,000 tickets, and this year’s Juice Jam concert, featuring B.o.B, sold 7,000.

Because there are fewer attendees for Rock the Dome compared to Block Party, fewer gates will need to be open. A fewer number of guards and Dome staff will also be needed, Dekker said.

The concert will have a seating feature never before utilized in the Dome because the audience size is smaller, Dekker said.

The setup is very similar to Juice Jam concerts, Dekker said. One thousand students will be able to experience the concert in the general admission standing floor area for the entirety of the show.

He said a cattle rail barrier students can line up against will be in place in front of the stage. Security personnel will be present between the stage and the barrier, Dekker said.

UU officials are excited about utilizing the new setup because the organization is using it as a trial run to use at larger-scale events, like Block Party, with more people on the floor. This format is not often used in Syracuse, Dekker said. The setup was recently used at the Dayglow event at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena last September.

Dekker said this setup has been restricted in the area for potential safety concerns with fire codes, though it is not completely certain on the logistics of the codes.

Sardino, of DPS, said he does not expect a large amount of roughhousing at the event, but public safety officers and the police have plans in place in case situations that require disciplinary action occur.

Arrests will result from violations of New York state law, but actions against Dome policy may not be handled with an arrest, Sardino said.

Dekker said SU Ambulance will be the first responders involved if a situation arises.

Though the rate of incidences in the past is fairly low, Dekker said everyone involved will do their best to ensure the safety of students and members of the general public.

‘We want to make sure we are protecting students,’ Dekker said. ‘It is a privilege to do shows in the Dome, and we take that very seriously.’

rebarill@syr.edu

Published on February 1, 2012 at 12:00 pm