Behind the Scenes of Event Safety: Risk Management at a Major International Tournament in St. Paul

When large-scale events come to life in the St. Paul and Minneapolis area, what attendees experience is only part of the story.

Packed venues. Seamless operations. A shared experience that feels both exciting and safe.

What they don’t see is everything happening behind the scenes to make that possible.

In January, a major international hockey tournament brought more than 240,000 attendees to the Twin Cities over the course of 11 days. Events of this scale require more than coordination, they require structured, proactive risk management and collaboration with multiple private and public-sector partners.

That’s where 360 Security Services came in.

Planning for What Other Hope Never Happens

Effective risk management doesn’t begin when something goes wrong. It starts months in advance.

Over approximately six months of planning, 360 Security Services worked alongside event organizers and public safety partners to build a coordinated approach to safety, security, and emergency preparedness across multiple venues and locations throughout the Twin Cities.

This included:

This wasn’t about isolated planning. It was about building a system that could operate effectively under real-world conditions.

From Plan to Real-World Readiness

Many organizations have plans. Fewer know how those plans perform in practice. That’s why training and preparation played a critical role.

360 conducted safety and security awareness training, along with tabletop exercises, for both event staff and public safety partners. These sessions helped teams:

Because when something happens, there’s no time to figure it out. The work has already been done.

Coordinating Across Teams, Agencies, and Locations

Large-scale events introduce complexity quickly.

Multiple venues. Transportation logistics. Public gathering spaces. Coordinated movement of teams and attendees.

Each element introduces it’s own layer of risk.

To manage this, 360 helped establish and support a centralized command structure, working alongside a wide range of public safety and operational partners to coordinate security operations and real-time response throughout the event for event organizers.

This level of coordination ensures that when issues arise (no matter how small) they are addressed quickly, consistently, and with full visibility across teams.

The Result: A Safe, Successful Event

Over the course of the 11-day tournament:

Most importantly, the event concluded with no notable incidents. Minor issues that did arise were effectively managed and mitigated, largely due to the training, planning, and coordination put in place ahead of time. The event also delivered an estimated $75M+ economic impact to the local community, reinforcing the importance of safe, well-executed large-scale events in the Twin Cities.

What This Means for Organizations

While not every organization is hosting a global sporting event, the underlying principles remain the same. Risk doesn’t start with incidents. It starts with signals, patterns, and early indicators.

Organizations that take a structured approach to risk management are better equipped to:

Whether managing a large public event or day-to-day operations, preparation and structure make the difference.

Bringing Structure to the Unpredictable

Risk can’t be eliminated, but it can be managed. Through proactive planning, coordinated response strategies, and real-world training, organizations can move from reactive to prepared.

That’s the role 360 Security Services plays—helping organizations across St. Paul, Minneapolis, and beyond build safer, more resilient environments.