As the WM Phoenix Open swings into full gear, the safety of over 700,000 attendees throughout the event week is in the hands of diligent officers and firefighters standing by, as reported by ABC15. The Scottsdale Fire and Police departments are treating the 220-acre golf course like a "city within a city," putting robust plans into place to manage any possible incident, rain or shine. Scottsdale Fire Captain Dave Folio emphasized the need for self-reliance, "We can’t rely on outside resources coming in," positioning his teams to be ready for the challenges of an incident within an incident.
With the threat of rain looming mid-week, measures to maintain attendee safety on slippery surfaces are already being planned for, "The course is designed to take water, some of the tents they’re going to be prepared by covering up the furniture or doing that type of stuff, not allowing people on the slippery surfaces and some of the exits," Captain Folio explained to ABC15. In conjunction, a significant DUI task force is set to deploy Wednesday to ensure the revelry remains safe, Sergeant Allison Sempsis of the Scottsdale PD cited the necessity to be "here in full force, all hands on deck," ensuring a good time without compromising safety. The Scottsdale PD is providing a text-alert system for attendees to receive real-time updates and emergency notifications.
Meanwhile, the entertainment segment of the Open had a bombastic start with Post Malone hosting the 3rd Annual Concert in the Coliseum, bringing in over 12,000 fans at the 16th hole. Arizona’s Family witnessed the fanfare, as the sold-out event gathered excited locals and out-of-towners alike, with attendees like Ryan Langner praising the weather and the experience, "It’s always a good time, great weather. We got lucky, I guess, it was supposed to rain," he said. Others, like Greg Devau from New York, expressed that the trip was more than worth it, "It’s just a plane ticket and 5 1/2 hours of my life," Devau told Arizona's Family.
The excitement wasn't just for the golf. Malone's performance received acclaim from fans of diverse musical tastes, with Carmel Terlizzi admitting to her partial understanding of his lyrics, "I like his music. His words, I don’t know. If I’m being honest,” and calling out Post Malone's multifaceted talent, "He’s a good rapper. A good writer and good poet" echoed Desiree Langner, whose husband added it's "music everyone can enjoy" in their interview with Arizona's Family. With the stage set for a week of golf, music, and meticulously planned safety measures, the WM Phoenix Open continues to promise, as Devau put it, "the Greatest Show on Grass."
