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Tech Topics In This Article: corporate innovation, Atlanta Hawks
Kimberly Rometo says her job is to show people walking into Atlanta’s popular State Farm Arena “a preview of the future.”
As the Chief Technology & Innovations Officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, Rometo is charged with finding new ways to engage fans and keep the game-day and concert experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible.
Recently, that includes ushering in a better ticketing process, a stronger fan-focused store, and an update to how the arena gets all the back-of-house data it needs to support the hundreds of thousands of sports fans and concert goers who come through every year.
“We want to make sure that no matter what — if you’re a die hard fan or you’re this great planner for your family or for your group — you have a wonderful time. We want to give people a lot of different ways to engage,” she told Hypepotamus.
Some of the innovations are things that fans will notice during their next trip to State Farm Arena. There are Delta Fly-Through Lanes, powered by Verizon’s 5G Edge Accelerated Access solution and Wicket’s facial authentication, “removes friction” when a person enters the stadium and presents their tickets. Fans can use the FLy-Through Lanes at Gates 1, 2, 3, and 7.
Hawks fans can also now experience the new Hawks Express Store, which eliminates the long checkout lines inside the arena. The Express Store uses Verizon’s 5G Edge technology.
Behind The Scenes
But not all of Rometo and her team’s innovation work is immediately seen by fans in the stadium. But the behind-the-scenes work is crucial to ensuring that State Farm Arena remains a popular venue for Atlantans and visitors to downtown.
State Farm Arena, previously Philips Arena, was constructed in 1999. A 2018 renovation focused on front-of-house updates and fan experience. But the back-of-house areas around the popular sports and music venue was left untouched.
In 2023, an HVAC failure in the main data center put the focus on revamping how the arena collects data on its critical infrastructure. To do that, Rometo again started working with Verizon to bring its turnkey IoT solution, Senor Insights, to the arena.
Sensor Insights now helps State Farm Arena monitor and manage the temperature and condition of sensitive technical equipment, while also better track waste disposal and resource efficiency throughout all parts of the arena. This helps stakeholders, including Rometo’s technology team, “proactively monitor and manage critical operational aspects, ensuring a more seamless and efficient experience for everyone,” Rometo added.
State Farm Arena is the first sports venue to adopt this technology.
