Lincoln T.
Yelp
Couldn't get close to the new Allianz soccer stadium, all roads closed and grounds fenced off. This was supposed to be the public opening and crowd control test? Most police were just standing around because there was no traffic to control: all roads and parking lots were closed. Was the "test" just to see if they could show up for a couple of hours?
Once I got near the stadium all doors were blocked even though the event had officially ended (4:05 p.m.). One woman who was guarding a Brew Hall entrance opened the door, smiled at me and said, "Wellll...I'm not supposed to do this, but..."--here, she changes tact--"you'll have to go down to the other gate to get in. It's right down there, just around that corner. They want to count how many people come in." Huh?! Why indicate you'll let me in only to make me walk another 100 feet to (what turned out to be) an unsecured entrance where there was NO counting happening...only for me to circle back to her entrance in 15 seconds to find she was nowhere to be seen with people coming and going in and out freely! Come on!
I get it that these volunteer and security support staffs take their jobs seriously, but take a look around and realize a) there is no game happening, it's just curiosity seekers; and b) the event had ended, the Brew Hall was not serving food, and the entrance was just that...an entrance.
I tried three times to get in various open doors and was turned down twice until I just walked through an unattended GATE (with metal detectors). I assure you, my complaint is not frivolous, it's just these maddening people being overzealous for absolutely no reason.
The grounds surrounding the stadium are still a mess: cyclone fencing everywhere, an ugly construction site trailer park in one corner, endless paved parking lots that were chained off, and a moldy patch of "green space" (also roped off) that I wouldn't let my dog run on without giving him an immediate shower and tetanus shot. The interior is as expected--standard stadium fare--but they wouldn't let anyone tour the VIP sections...so it was views of stadium seating and concrete steps. Yay?
They didn't give out any swag or snacks, and when I asked if the Brew Hall could serve just a few chips or any last-minute snacks (at 4:10 p.m., 10 minutes "after" the event closed) waitress said No. Nice? I was feeling so glad I scaled a fence and walked across an acre of blighted wasteland to get to a place that wasn't serving snacks.
If this is their idea of public relations I grieve for opening day. Even the security guard told me he was disappointed by a recent turnout for hardcore fans and investors...nobody showed up.
The place is a sparse dump and not worth the experience.