San Jose’s premier hockey arenas are receiving security upgrades to improve fan safety as attendance steadily increases.
The City Council unanimously approved $1 million in improvements Tuesday for SAP Center and Sharks Ice at San Jose — including vehicle barriers and access controls, as well as key card access and detection systems. Of the $1 million being allocated from the general fund, $515,000 will go toward Sharks Ice and the remaining $485,000 will benefit SAP Center. Improvements are set to benefit the 2025-26 hockey season, which typically starts in October.
The allocation comes as the San Jose Sharks wrapped up the 2024-25 season earlier this month, along with the San Jose State University hockey team, which plays its games at Sharks Ice. City officials created the San Jose Arena Authority as a nonprofit in 1990 to provide administrative oversight for prominent sports facilities such as SAP Center and Sharks Ice at San Jose.
Chris Morrisey, executive director of the arena authority, said security and safety are at the top of the list when he meets with the arena authority board of directors.
“The Sharks do an excellent job right now of keeping people secure,” Morrisey told San José Spotlight. “The systems they have in place, along with the police presence for events, is very strong. To see that they’ve decided to make this kind of investment to upgrade what they already have is forward thinking. You always have to think about safety.”
The city also ramped up a vendor cart-impoundment pilot program outside SAP Center earlier this year to address unpermitted vendors.
A San Jose Sharks spokesperson declined a request to comment on the planned security upgrades.
With both the SAP Center and Sharks Ice at San Jose being in prominent areas of the city, Morrisey said the improvements are important not only for fans to feel safe — but also to keep danger far away. As executive director of the arena authority for more than 25 years, Morrisey said he grew up in an era where a stadium was surrounded by a sea of parking away from the street. Now the arenas are in major thoroughfares.
“Anytime there’s significant money spent for security, it’s something that should be applauded,” he said.
District 6 Councilmember Michael Mulcahy, who represents where SAP Center is located, said he supports the increased funding.
“This action reflects the city’s continued collaboration with the San Jose Sharks to prioritize a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors to SAP Center and Sharks Ice,” he told San José Spotlight. “Strengthening security measures is a shared responsibility, reinforcing our mutual commitment to public safety and a positive fan and customer experience.”
Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X.
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