Statement from Pirates President Frank Coonelly on PNC Park security measures

On behalf of the Pirates organization, I again apologize to our fans for the long lines at the gates prior to last night's game due to increased security measures. While we expected to experience some growing pains in implementing the use of metal detecting wands at the gates, the experience last night was unacceptable. That cannot and will not happen again.

We are constantly working to provide our fans with the best experience possible at PNC Park. The safety of our guests will always be a top priority, and thus, we remain committed to the use of metal detecting wands. However, we have made adjustments to our staffing, gate access points and procedures to ensure that our fans do not experience the type of lines that they encountered last night.

We will also work to better educate our fans on what to expect when entering the ballpark and how they can help us expedite the screening process. In that regard, fans are encouraged to allow for additional time when coming to the game. We also encourage fans to leave all unnecessary bags and metal objects at home or in their cars before coming into the ballpark. When approaching the security screener, we ask fans to please hold their keys, cell phones and any other metal objects in their hands.

We value each and every one of our fans and want their experience at the ballpark to be thoroughly enjoyable. We appreciate their patience and support as we work together to make PNC Park an even more secure place to watch Pirates baseball.