2 days ago
After Copa America chaos, Hard Rock is strengthening security for Club World Cup
As ticket prices for Saturday's FIFA Club World Cup opener go down and several thousand go unsold, those making plans for the match are hoping it will go smoother than last year's Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Thousands of fans — including those without tickets — stormed the Hard Rock's gates last year to watch the final match between Argentina and Colombia. Dozens were arrested, 55 others were ejected and the game was delayed by over an hour, the Miami Herald previously reported.
For Saturday's game featuring Inter Miami vs. Egyptian team Al Ahly, a Hard Rock spokesperson told the Herald in a statement that 'fans should expect to pass through multiple security and ticket check points in order to enter Hard Rock Stadium.'
'As with all stadium events, Hard Rock Stadium officials work in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and event organizers to establish and enforce security protocols based on the unique needs of each event,' the statement said. ' … Ensuring fan safety continues to be the highest priority for all stadium events.'
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office told the Herald that a ticket-screening process will take place at each of three checkpoints around the Hard Rock property.
The Sheriff's Office has been preparing officers for the event, posting last month that its Rapid Deployment Force was training with the Broward Sheriff's Office Quick Response Force. Both teams can be quickly dispatched to major incidents.
'If things go south, we get prepared, we get ready,' Miami-Dade Sgt. Lazaro Rodriguez said in a training video. 'For civil unrest and unruly fans, this will get us ready for those events.'
A previous report analyzing the security failures at the Copa America final found miscommunication and a lack of security led to much of last year's chaos, as reported by ESPN.
The day before the final, Miami-Dade police had been informed 'that Texas law enforcement 'experienced difficulties removing crowds from the stadium areas' after a separate Copa América match, and that large crowds were forming in the streets near the Colombia team hotel in Florida,' according to the report obtained by ESPN.
The Texas report led officials to deploy more police for the game, and ultimately at least 900 were staffed for the event. Despite having hundreds of officers, Hard Rock Stadium had allowed cars with unticketed fans onto the property, which created a security issue that officers weren't equipped to address, according to the report.
In a statement Wednesday, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said: 'The events that unfolded in the 2024 Copa America Final were unprecedented for the entire nation, let alone Miami-Dade County.'
Traffic closures for Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium
In addition to the ticketing checkpoints, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office is also closing some nearby roads three hours before the parking gates open, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The roads will return to normal traffic patterns when the parking lots open. The affected areas are 199th Street from Northwest 27th Avenue to Northwest 14th Court and also Turnpike Exit 2X.
