It’s Super Bowl Sunday!
Posted February 3, 2017 by Premier Disability Services, LLC®
This weekend is Super Bowl LI – on February 5th, the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons will go head-to-head at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas with pop icon Lady Gaga performing at half time.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas has completed a review of the accessibility of NRG Stadium to disabled fans planning to attend Super Bowl LI. The review finds the NFL’s plans for accessible seating, parking and related services at the stadium to be in line with its obligations under the Title III of the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by private places of public accommodations.
The review stemmed from a pre-existing investigation that is unrelated to the NFL or its use of NRG Stadium for Super Bowl LI. The NFL cooperated with the review and demonstrated that its plans for Super Bowl LI provide for accessible seating and parking in numbers that substantially exceed those required under the ADA. Among other accommodations, the NFL plans to provide accessible seating on all levels of the stadium and will maintain a dedicated parking lot for the provision of handicap accessible parking. That lot is located just to the south of the stadium’s usual handicap accessible lot and immediately outside of the stadium’s security perimeter.
The NFL also plans to have personnel on hand to accommodate the needs of disabled attendees of Super Bowl LI. Members of the NFL’s Mobility Assistance Team will be stationed in areas inside and outside of the stadium’s secured perimeter in order to provide assistance to disabled fans seeking to enter the stadium and get to their seats from the designated handicap accessible lot, Taxi/UBER drop-off area and METRORail train stop.
Once inside the stadium, disabled attendees will be advised of guest services locations where they may store mobility assistance equipment. Disabled attendees may also schedule a pick-up with the Mobility Assistance Team, which will help them travel from their seats back to their vehicles when they leave the game. Moreover, there will be guest services staff available inside and outside the stadium to assist fans during the game if a need arises.
We at Premier Disability Services wish everyone a fun and safe Super Bowl Sunday!
By: Joyce Trudeau of Premier Disability Services, LLC®
