Youngstown council considers metal detectors at Covelli Centre

YOUNGSTOWN — The city-owned Covelli Centre has hosted concerts by Motley Crue, Poison, Rob Zombie and Def Leppard.

Soon it will be the home of a new metal – metal detectors.

City council will consider legislation Wednesday to allow the board of control to seek proposals and enter into a contract to acquire eight metal detectors for no more than $30,000.

“With issues in some entertainment places, it was time we stepped up our safety procedures,” said Eric Ryan, the center’s executive director. “Safety is our No. 1 priority.”

A number of acts and promoters won’t deal with entertainment venues that don’t have metal detectors so the center has had to rent them – at nearly $2,000 a show – over the past few years, Ryan said.

With approval from council and the board of control, the center would purchase eight metal detectors from Event Metal Detectors LLC of Sylvania, Ohio, for $29,560, he said. The center obtained proposals from four companies with Event Metal having the least expensive one, Ryan said.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com