Fans line up at T-Mobile Arena to watch the spectacle. Golden Knights home opener on Thursday, they’ll notice a more dramatic, theatrical feel to the building. The ice sheet will shine brighter than ever, and the lights in the stands will dim to make it easy for fans to locate their seats.
The entertainment team hopes that the new lighting settings will create the illusion of a frozen Roman Colosseum with the new lighting settings.
“It’s a cathedral, an altar created for that battle,” newly-named vice president of entertainment Mark Shunock explained. “We want that same sensation when you walk into T-Mobile. This will make our customers feel more connected. It will feel more intimidating. You’ll feel like you’re walking into something special. It’s amazing what lighting does.”
The change fans may enjoy most won’t happen until after the game ends. Oversized poker chips will replace the five-year-old tradition of three game stars handing sticks out to fans. Players will autograph the poker chips as they are thrown into the crowd.
“Every team does sticks, and the disadvantage of sticks is the person who can reach the stick gets the stick, but with a pillow people higher up (have a chance to catch one),” vice president and executive producer Andrew Abrams said.
From the time they joined the league in 2017, the Golden Knights set a high standard for game presentation. Vegas is the best in the league for its pregame festivities, which include on-ice sword fighting and light-up drumline. NHL in entertainment.
