Security procedures and traffic patterns for Sunday’s Tennessee-Las Vegas game at Neyland Stadium will be much the same as last season, a University of Tennessee official said Wednesday.
“Our fans have been very understanding and supportive of our security plan, and we very much appreciate their cooperation,” Philip Scheurer, UT vice president of operations, said. “As usual, we encourage them to arrive early.”
Kickoff is set for shortly after 8 p.m. Campus parking lots will open at 1 p.m. and gates at 6 p.m. All campus parking is by permit only.
Backpacks and other large parcels are not permitted in the stadium and items cannot be left at any gate, Scheurer said.
Permitted items include stadium seats (without armrests), cushions, binoculars, small cameras, pagers, cell phones, radio headsets and diaper bags that accompany an infant. All items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates.
Police will close the intersections in the immediate area of the stadium at 7:30 p.m. For the first time, there will be no parking or vehicular access to “The Hill” from Cumberland Avenue. A limited amount of handicap parking will be available on Middle Drive, adjacent to the stadium.
Plastic barriers along Philip Fulmer Way will be erected to separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Pre-game and post-game traffic patterns remain much the same, with portions of Neyland Drive converted to one-way traffic to ease congestion.
The Vol Walk will begin at 5:45 p.m. at Gibbs Hall, as the UT football players walk to the stadium to get ready for the game.
This year, about 400 former Vol lettermen will walk with the athletes for part of the route, in honor of their athletic achievements over the years.
Pride of the Southland marching band will leave the Music Building at 6:20 p.m. for their march to the stadium.
The Volunteer Village commercial exhibition area will be open from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday on the southeast lawn of the humanities building.
ESPN-2 and ComCast Sports will televise the game.