Open Letter to Kennewick’s Toyota Center About Their New Policies

I attended my first Tri-City Americans game of the new season on Wednesday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick and was surprised by some of the changes made to the entry policy.

If you haven't been to the Toyota Center in the last month or so, you might not know about some changes they've made, and I think the new changes will help the center in the long run.

Get our free mobile app

Remember, we've all got stuck in a line at the Toyota Center as they check bags. It can be a hassle especially when you are dealing with large crowds.

I immediately noticed the changes last night because the first thing I walked through was the new metal detectors that are now in place.

It took me no time to get into the venue and I loved the non-intrusion of the new machines.

I don't like the implications of being searched by anyone so the new machines were a welcome addition.

One of the new requirements that are going to throw people off will be the clear-bag policy in the future. The good news is that policy does have some leniency until November 11th.

Here are the new entry requirements as released by the Toyota Center:

 Entry requirements:

To enter the arena, you must walk through security's metal detectors.

The arena is smoke-free, so no e-cigarettes, cigarettes, vapes, hookah pens, electronic pens, or other smoking devices are allowed.

Bags larger than 4.5"x6.5" must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC. Smaller bags are allowed in, but no bags larger than 12"x6"x12" are allowed. 

I know for some, these requirements may seem like a hassle but I think anything that keeps people safe is a good thing. Kudos to the Toyota Center for investing in the infrastructure and hopefully making it easier for patrons like me to access the facility without a hassle.

You can check out more details on the new policies on the Toyota Center's Facebook here.