Michigan High School Athletic Association - Promoting Educational Athletics
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 17, 2005 Parking & Entrance Protocols Announced For Football Finals At Ford Field EAST LANSING, Mich. – Nov. 17– To provide for the convenience and safety of spectators attending the Michigan High School Athletic Association Football Playoffs at Ford Field in Detroit, November 25 and 26, attendees are being advised of a variety of items related to transportation and security. In cooperation with Olympia Entertainment, over 2,000 parking spaces will be available with close proximity to Ford Field and Comerica Park to the West and North of the ball parks, all East of Woodward Avenue. These parking lots will be clearly marked with Olympia Entertainment signs, and will be charging $6. A map identifying the designated Olympia Entertainment lots can be found of the Football page of the MHSAA Web site, and a visual presentation showing the lots can also be found there following the Semifinal round of the Football Playoffs. There are also a number of privately-operated parking facilities close to Ford Field, but their pricing may differ. Fans are also advised that tailgating, including the setting up and use of grilling equipment, and the consumption of alcohol, is prohibited by City of Detroit ordinances. Upon arrival in the Olympia Entertainment lots, spectators will be greeted by Ford Field Guest Services personnel, which will provide information about access to the stadium to ease their entrance into the building. Gates A, B, D and G will be available for public entrance during the event. Ticket sales will begin near Gates A and G at 8 a.m. each day, and the building will open its doors to spectators at 9 a.m. Tickets are priced at $9, and will allow a fan to see all four games in a single day. Spectators leaving the stadium will be required to purchase another ticket if they leave. Children under the age of 2 will be admitted without charge for this event, per Ford Field policy. There will not be a public Will Call window for this event. (Media will be informed of credentialing Will Call information in a separate advisory) Upon arrival in the building, fans will find their designated seating areas on the South side of the field if their team is the designated home team for their contest, and on the North side for the designated Visiting team. The Home team will be the winner of Regional 1 vs. 2 Semifinal games this weekend. Brightly lit video boards above the seating areas will display the names of the participating teams each day and fans should sit on the side of the stadium where they see their school's name. For general fans, the entire lower bowl of Ford Field will be open for the event. Security measures will also be in place to help assure spectator safety. Fans will be subject to a visual search, and Ford Field personnel will reserve the right to request that patrons open their coats, purses, bags and other item-carrying vessels for visual inspection; and deny entrance to individuals who do not cooperate. Items which fans will be prohibited from bringing into the building include, but are not limited to, the following: Aerosol cans; alcoholic beverages; animals (except assistive animals for people with disabilities); bags (grocery, duffle, backpacks, luggage, large purses, etc.) 8 1/2” x 14” x 10” is maximum size for entry; balloons (air & helium); balls (beach balls, footballs, baseballs, etc.); banners; beverages; cans & bottles; confetti or glitter; coolers of any kind, including small soft pack coolers; fireworks; food; hard objects that can be used as missiles or projectiles; illegal substances; large camera cases; liquids (bottled or boxed); laser pointers; noisemaking devices (bells, horns, kazoos, thunder sticks, whistles, etc.); sticks, bats or clubs; strollers; tripods; umbrellas, weapons. The following items will be permitted after inspection: Binoculars and cases; small still cameras and small cases; diaper bags (only if accompanied by a child); purses and fanny packs (must comply with the above bag limits); radios (no larger than the size of a football and used with an earpiece); small video cameras. The complete list of prohibited items can be found on the Ford Field Web site – fordfield.com. Prohibited items that are discovered during security inspections at the stadium entrances must either be returned to the owner's vehicle or discarded. Items will not be held for later pickup. The only variation from the prohibited items list is that the MHSAA does allow small video cameras to be used by spectators without tripods or electrical cords. Fans are reminded that all image taking (still and video) may only be for personal, non-commercial use. The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,800 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract approximately 1.6 million spectators each year. -0- RL06-018 Farm Bureau Insurance and MEEMIC Insurance are year-round MHSAA Corporate Partners
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