Metal detectors ready for arena

Basketball finals add safety

For the first time, walkthrough metal detectors will be used at Bank OZK Arena entrances for the state high school basketball tournament in Hot Springs, officials said.

Three entrances will be open for the tournament, which begins Thursday and ends Saturday: Convention Boulevard at Laurel Street; Church Street and Laurel Street; and the Convention Center Concourse. The bridge between the Embassy Suites hotel and the Arena will be closed.

Clear bags — one per person — will be allowed. The bag must be smaller than 14 x 14 x 6 inches, according to the announcement.

Screeners will be looking for prohibited items, which include weapons, knives or firearms; backpacks; bags larger than 14 x 14 x 6 inches; more than one bag; fireworks or pyrotechnics of any kind; outside food or beverages; beach balls; Frisbees; confetti; streamers; laser pointers; balloons; noisemaking devices; audio or video recording devices, except for cell phones and authorized media equipment; signs, flags or banners and “any other items deemed by staff and/or event organizers to be a potential safety or security threat.”

“We want all fans to have a great time experiencing the competition during this great tournament, and we will be working hard to ensure that fans are safe and secure while rooting for their home teams,” said Jennifer Wolcott, director of operations for the Visit Hot Springs tourism agency, in the announcement. “We believe the security measures that will be in effect will make sure that happens.”

Tickets — which are electronic-only — are per session, not per game. One ticket will provide entrance for both the girls and boys games for that classification. After each session, everyone will be required to exit the arena. All tickets are sold through the Arkansas Activities Association website, https://qofan.co/ apo/school/AAA. The arena box office will not be open during the tournament.