The City of Frisco officials say they will explore possible changes at The Star following concertgoers' complaints about overcrowding at the Ford Center.
Fans at the Bob Seger concert shared photos showing concourses packed with people. Some told NBC 5 the crowd was moving slowly, prompting concern about how quickly people would be able to exit in an emergency.
On Monday, a spokesperson for the City of Frisco said the Ford Center does have an evacuation plan that would get people out more quickly in the case of emergencies.
The city said it recognizes that non-emergency exit plans following concerts and other special events can be improved.
"Seger fans, we hear you and recognize we need to do better," a city statement read. "Event operations staff tell us they're committed to working with us to create a better, overall egress plan."
Event staff said the crowd was several thousand people under capacity and it took 28 minutes for everyone to leave the building after the concert on Saturday.
Full statement from the City of Frisco:
Seger fans, we hear you and recognize we need to do better. We've been in discussions this morning with staff at The Ford Center. Event operations staff tells us they're committed to working with us to create a better, overall egress plan. It's important to note, the Emergency Evacuation plan is different from the normal exit plan after an event. The Emergency Evacuation Plan is designed to get patrons out much faster. Ford Center event staff reports the building was 'clear' within 28 minutes following the end of the concert. Frisco Police and Traffic Engineers report the parking lots were cleared in about 40 minutes, making the total time to 'clear' the entire event about 70 minutes. The total anticipated egress time for a crowd of nearly 20,000 (17,129 actual for B. Seger) was approximately 90 minutes. However, we recognize the non-emergency evacuation plan following concerts and special events at the Ford Center could be improved. Rest assured, the health, safety and welfare of the public - whether you're a resident, business owner or visitor - are top priorities for the City of Frisco and we take our responsibilities very seriously. You have our assurance we will review strategies related to both event exit plans and traffic. Thank you for your support as we work towards solutions to enhance your experience in Frisco.
