Sports stadiums have advanced far beyond a simple a structure for seating, and sports stadium walk-ins are indicative of the new necessities of the arena experience; today’s venues are packed with immersive experiences and contain more eating options than many small cities.
With football season getting underway, thousands of Americans will be experiencing the value of sports stadium walk-ins without even knowing. These walk-in coolers are a critical part of the game day experience for anyone wanting to enjoy a refreshing beverage or tasty treat during their afternoon at the park.
Every stadium in America is unique. It is what gives fans an attachment to their home field, but these specifications pose different challenges for builders and equipment providers. Even the most basic stadiums today still have hundreds of walk-in coolers that require coordination during both the design and installation process. These complexities are even more obvious when retrofitting older parks with new equipment. Integrators must work together with facility managers to create a specific plan for the space, which almost never translates to another venue. A successful installation is the end result of extensive collaboration and the coalescence of many moving parts.
Different Stadiums, Same Custom Installation
Whether it is a historical venue or one that is brand new, sports stadium walk-ins are a requirement. KPS Global has experience dealing with new walk-ins as well as retrofitting older models and is dedicated to providing equipment to stadiums with custom walk-ins fortified to last all nine innings, no matter the size or age of the venue.
“One installation required us to preserve the historical element of the park, so we had to be careful. We had to consider how all the pieces were going to work together, creating custom-shaped coolers to fit the limited space,” Brandon Powers said. “We also had to design a floor to support a forklift to deliver the panels, which was a unique design—something we’d never done before.”
Texas-Sized Walk-ins
The scale of installations of sports stadium walk-ins is far more extensive than many realize. For example, the number of coolers needed at a building the size of the AT&T Stadium, home to the Dallas Cowboys, is immense. The stadium holds more than 100,000 spectators on game days and has north of 100 walk-ins to support these fans.
“For so many walk-ins in a single venue, that comes with a lot of challenges when it came to installation day,” remarked Johnny Wood. “Deliveries had to be planned and organized because if anything was intermingled during the shipping process, it would set off a massive chain reaction of issues if panels started showing up at different delivery areas or labelled incorrectly. For safety and security, every team member had to be certified to work inside the stadium, so scheduling and ensuring that we had enough certified installers on site was also critical. Thankfully, we’re used to tackling these big projects.”
Coolers from Coast to Coast
A similar amount of preparation, coordination and logistics went into the installation of the stadium walk-ins at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco, where the 49ers play.
“The coolers were built out of our Goodyear, Arizona facility. We designed and installed all the doors and custom walk-ins,” Kevin Piel stated. “You need coordination for a project of that scale—from architects to dealers, to reps and the crew, everyone has to communicate and work collaboratively.”
No matter the size or scope of the project, KPS Global can custom design and seamlessly install cutting-edge sports stadium walk-ins successfully, providing years of reliable performance to keep fans lining up at concessions and cheering for more. Check out this infographic that shows how KPSG can help you with large foodservice installations in entertainment venues like sports stadiums because we’ve done it before!
To learn more about KPS Global’s installation of sports stadium walk-ins, click here.
