Operational Security Blooms at TD Garden: How A Major Sporting Venue is Improving Efficiency Through Key Management
As the home to two professional sports franchises and more than 3.5 million visitors every year, TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the most visited sporting venues in the United States.
In addition to the perennially successful Boston Bruins (NHL) and Boston Celtics (NBA), some of the most famous musicians in the world perform at the TD Garden every month, further underscoring the need for efficient operations and management of the most sensitive security assets within the facility.
Recently, TD Garden experienced a common challenge for sports and event venues: too many keys in circulation without automated monitoring systems in place.
Employees, for example, would sometimes inadvertently bring grandmaster keys home or misplace them. Each of those instances represented a security threat, so Dioni Pimentel, security manager at TD Garden, decided to take steps to correct it.
TD Garden experienced a common challenge for sports and event venues: too many keys in circulation without automated monitoring systems in place.
Pimentel began by conducting an internal audit and evaluating who really needed access to which keys and assets, eliminating any unnecessary keys and users in the TD Garden system.
Considered a soft target with multiple tenants utilizing the TD Garden building—such as franchise personnel and administrative officials—ensuring Bruins employees only have access to Bruins’ space (and vice versa for Celtics employees or event management) further safeguards against unauthorized access.
What began as a bank of nearly 1,600 users was eventually condensed to approximately 300. The consolidation improved security by reducing potential risks and simplifying the monitoring process for Pimentel and other security administrators.
Pimentel also effectively improved key management throughout the facility by utilizing 12 Traka S-series key cabinets and the corresponding TrakaWeb software that connects them.
The electronic key cabinets are now strategically located throughout the 750,000-square-foot facility and give Pimentel real-time insight into who checked out which key and when. He can implement curfews on keys and assets. Pimentel can also schedule notifications to be sent to him or any authorized personnel should a key not find its way back to the cabinet by the deadline, which can help reduce downtime spent looking for that key and save money.
The ability to designate access to an isolated area for a temporary worker during a contracted project was critical to reducing security threats.
Additionally, Pimentel can assign access to the cabinets from a remote location, which is invaluable for managing diverse user groups like temporary employees and contractors who are accessing critical keys. TD Garden has undergone several major renovations since first opening in 1995. The ability to designate access to an isolated area for a temporary worker during a contracted project was critical to reducing security threats and with key management, a newfound possibility.
Facilitating large numbers of key and asset users, Pimentel needed the process for assigning and managing permissions streamlined to reduce training time and promote widespread adoption. With the electronic key management system, users can now swipe their access badge to prompt the cabinet to illuminate the keys they have permission to access. The efficiency of the system also mitigates potential congestion during peak shift times when multiple users may be checking keys in or out.
The implementation of electronic key management at TD Garden has revolutionized the customer experience by streamlining operations and enhancing security measures. Through a centralized software system, all cabinets can seamlessly communicate, providing a comprehensive report of key usage. This eliminates the need for multiple systems, additional hardware, or extensive training, offering a user-friendly and efficient solution.
Pimentel ensures that all key usage is monitored in real-time, allowing for seamless operations without compromising security. This robust system not only enhances efficiency but also adapts to the dynamic needs of the ever-evolving venue.
As the landscape of security threats in sports venues continues to evolve, the significance of safeguarding keys, a crucial security asset, cannot be overstated.
TD Garden's strategic adoption of critical key cabinets has optimized operational efficiency and bolstered security measures across various departments. This flexible solution has demonstrated its effectiveness in meeting the venue's dynamic requirements, solidifying TD Garden's commitment to providing a safe and seamless experience for all patrons.
Raffaele Ceravolo, northeast regional sales manager, Traka Americas, has been active in the security industry since 1999, from working with access control manufacturers such as Lenel and AMAG, to PACS consulting with Verizon Business, and now more than 11 years with intelligent key and asset management, with a major focus on enterprise level end users and cross platform integrations.
© Raffaele Ceravolo
