Seating Options Make a Difference

One things is true of every event and venue across the country – the seating makes the difference in many things. Whether the seating influences the ticket price, creates value for the event, enhances the experience or brands your event, it plays a critical role in how your venue is received. In many cases, seating can mean the difference between a great experience or one that a customer will not return to. Take these ideas into consideration and then take a fresh look at your space.

First, give some thought to the kinds of events that you will need seating for. Sports events have a different level of wear and tear on seating than auditorium events will. Are you looking to repair the seating at an existing venue, or are you trying to create a new space for new events? If you are trying to generate interest in a rarely used hall space, then portable solutions may be your best option. Identify two to three key uses for your space and then determine what seating options you will need.

This is especially important for getting multiple uses out of one space. Seating can often make the difference between being able to have a variety of events in one location or being a “one trick pony.” Gyms are a perfect example. Seating along with other sports solutions for a wide variety of choices can increase usability. By simply investing in some divider curtains, wall padding and scoreboards, your gym or rec center can become a multifunctional space with ease.

Make a statement with specialized interior designs. High paying clients at events expect to be treated differently than typical bleachers, so personalized boxes, where possible, not only bring additional revenue in the way of corporate sponsorships, etc., but create a feeling of exclusivity for your clients. Even if you are looking at high quality portable seats on a lower budget, think about creating “ VIP tables” with upholstery and logos that stand in opposition to basic folding metal chairs.

Is your seating ADA-friendly? Today’s modern venues should be ADA compliant, not only because it is the law, but because it gives the opportunity for a wide variety of audiences to enjoy the venue. Customized seating choices can make events more accessible for everyone – growing your revenue and increasing your goodwill in the process.

Brand your space through your seating choices. Think of the fan section at any major stadium. Branding happens in a variety of ways, and your seating choices can be among the best of them. Whether you go for custom colors, create a branded “fan section” or “elite black label” space, don’t overlook the opportunity to create a customized experience that promotes the brand, the franchise or the venue.

Take another look at your space. Where could seating make the difference?

Complying with ADA regulations in a gymnasium or arena setting can be nothing short of frustrating. After all, few bleacher systems have the ability to ensure you’re giving everyone the seating opportunities needed, and while you certainly don’t want to exclude any patrons, landing on the perfect solution can be frustrating. Finally, there’s one option you can look to for easy ADA compliance – Flex-Row systems by Hussey Seating.

What Is It? ChicagoStateFlexRow2

Imagine traditional bleacher seating with one integral change, you can eliminate parts of the first row to help give you a number of different seating options. Push in a few seats or several. Flex-Row puts the options back in your hands.

Discover The Hidden Power

Flex-Row seating systems mean an endless variety of options on the first row. You can lock in different layouts for every single game, giving you a number of different ADA solutions. Entire parts of the first row are removable, so whether you have a challenging event that needs something a bit different, you need room for a scoring table, or you need wheelchair space for patrons, you have the options at your fingertips. Perhaps the best part of this equation is that if you need only a single row of seating, Flex-Row is still operational with the rest of the system in the fully closed position. It’s not only the best way to make certain your facility remains ADA compliant, but it’s also the best way to make certain you have the flexibility you need for almost any event or sport that you need to host.

Flex-Row systems mean more choices, no matter what activities or events you plan to host. To learn more about how Flex-Row systems might fit in with your seating plan, contact us today. We offer a level of personalized service few others in the industry can match.

A Quick Guide to ADA Compliant Seating

You want your seating area to be accessible to all patrons, but that isn’t quite as easy as it seems, particularly if you’re working with an outdated facility or older seating solutions. As you work to revise your facility to meet the needs of even handicapped patrons, what exactly should you build into your plans? This guide can help you make sense of today’s ADA requirements so everyone can enjoy your facility.

Understanding the Definition

An accessible seat is one that has been specifically designed for wheelchair use and includes features like an accessible approach space, location at grade, cleared floor space, and larger dimensions. One companion seat should be provided for every accessible seat. Keep in mind that while you can add designated aisle seats for use by those who have disabilities but are not wheelchair bound, they cannot be deemed “accessible” seats.

There are specific size guidelines with accessible seating. Wheelchair spaces have to be 36 inches wide and 48 inches deep if they can be entered from the front or back. If you have two spaces side by side, each one must be 33 inches in width. In the event you have a space that can only be entered from the side, it has to be 60 inches deep.

Seating Placement

The goal of all accessible seating is to ensure those patrons who need it get the same experience other audience members do. As such, you need to think about equivalent lines of sight, viewing angles, and the best location of seats for those patrons. If you have luxury boxes or something similar, making a percentage of those ADA compliant is a good idea, and even required in many cases.

Total Seats Available

ADA guidelines state that the number of accessible seats is based on the total number of seats in your venue. Depending on the type of facility you currently have as well as the overall number of seats, that could fall between one and five percent. Often individual removable seats can be placed in these accessible seating areas, though, to make the seats sellable in the event they are not needed by a person with disabilities.

 

Providing the Right Information

Don’t forget to make the information about accessible seats available, too. Using the same text and visual representations you do for your normal seating areas, you’ll want to provide enough information to allow those who wish to purchase accessible seats to determine whether they meet his or her needs. If you include maps or seating configuration displays in your sales literature, you’ll want to note the accessible seating information there as well.

Following ADA seating guidelines not only helps ensure that you won’t be fined for noncompliance, but it also helps to make certain that all of your patrons will be able to enjoy your facility, no matter what their disabilities.

 

Lecture halls across campus are a reflection of the college or university’s image, so they have to look great. The last thing you want is a group of potential freshmen to peek inside a lecture hall with a poor seating structure and frustratingly outdated learning environment. The key to a good lecture hall is careful planning.

Theatre Style Concerns

Lecture-Hall-Seating-Carroll-Seating

If your lecture halls have the classic theatre style, you want performance space for your professors or lecturers along with comfortable audience seating. Along with that, you probably want a sophisticated look and good acoustical performance. Your best bet in those situations is to go with comfortable seating, probably plush or cushioned, along with acoustical seat pans. You may also want to add aisle lights for safety.

If, instead, you have a combined use space on your hands, you want both performances and instructional lectures to work in the area. Naturally, optimal seating capacity is going to be a key concern, but so are the sightlines for audience members. In cases like these, you probably don’t want tables, but oversized table arms, as that will not only accommodate those taking notes, but also those using laptops too. Power access will be critical in a facility like this, and you may want to go with multiple space seating options for best results.

Make It ADA Compliant

As you plan out your space, it’s essential to keep ADA requirements in mind. At least five percent of your seating area has to meet ADA guidelines. These rules also state that no less than one seating unit must meet those guidelines. Within those compliant seating areas, you need a clear space of 30” x 48” for wheelchair access. You also need knee clearance of 27” high, 30” in width, and 19” in depth. The height of the work surface (if you have one) needs to be 28” to 34”. Additionally, no less than one unit or one percent of your seating area has to be armless or have removable arms on the aisle side. Fortunately, these guidelines are pretty easily addressed, as many seating choices on the market today have either swing arms or removable units.

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