KONE References 2017: Urban Journeys

rom the LA Kings’ winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 to Michael Jackson’s memorial service in 2009, or that fact that it has been the venue of the Grammy awards for twelve years, the Staples Center in Los Angeles has played host to some of the greatest moments in sporting and entertainment history. Add to this the fact that it is also home to four major professional sports franchises including the Lakers and Clippers, and it isn’t hard to guess why this multi-purpose arena holds pride of place in the hearts and minds of the people of Los Angeles. Established in 1999, the events showcased at the Staples Center draw in a staggering 4 million people every year. And one of the many factors that have helped cement the arena’s success is the focus placed on visitor comfort and safety, especially when it comes to the installation of escalators and elevators. “Being LA’s number 1 entertainment venue, we host over 250 events and have over 20,000 guests visiting the center at any time,” says Bill Pottorff , vice president – engineering at AEG Staples, the company that operates the Staples Center. “The eyes of the world are on us, and so it’s vital to assure the safety and reliability of the vertical transport equipment.” Which is why KONE was brought in to design and provide the best solutions. KONE’s decades of experience were soon put to the test. After all, providing efficient elevator and escalator solutions for sporting venues like Staples is very different from installing them in buildings and cruise ships. The sheer number of people who gather for the various events makes it essential that logistics and transportation services be tough enough and fast enough to handle the pressure. F Staples Center – USA Hitting it out of the park The Staples Center is one of the busiest sports and entertainment centers in the world, with its saucer-shaped structure being an iconic part of the Los Angeles landscape. Keeping the guests visiting the center moving is a big task, one that KONE has helped accomplish through its services. Read on to learn more. TEXT Lakshmi Sivadas PHOTO Ed Carreón 58