DETROIT (WXYZ) — Eastern Market has canceled the tailgating event for the Detroit Lions game on Monday, but the VIP Tailgate that is organized by the football team and Bullseye Event Group is still set to take place at the market.
Just a little over a week ago, two men were killed at a Lion’s tailgate event inside of Eastern Market’s Shed 6. Shed 6 — where many die-hard Lions fans have gathered at for years — is an open lot with no controlled entry or exit points.
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While the Lions VIP Tailgate sits next to Shed 6, Bullseye Event Group CEO Kyle Kinnett said it's set up differently.
“Our events are in a brick and mortar building that has entry and exits,” Kinnett said. “We have two armed guards at the entrance and then we have eight to 10 security guards walking the floor at all times.”
Bullseye Event Group is the official partners for the Detroit Lions VIP Tailgate. The kid-friendly party is held before every home Lions game at Eastern Market inside of Shed 5.
“The event that happened at Eastern Market Shed 6 happened at 4:30 (in the afternoon),” Kinnett said. “The Bullseye Event Group’s Lions VIP Tailgate is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at kickoff, so it definitely wasn’t during the hours that we do our tailgate. And it was outside, not inside Shed 5 where we host our events.”
Kinnett said the group takes "security very, very seriously."
“A lot of that environment is controlled by the music that is played, the level it’s played, what type of music — there’s a lot that goes into keeping it a calm atmosphere,” Kinnett said.
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Both Allison DeRosia and Chloe Lavender have attended the Lions VIP Tailgate, which requires a ticket to enter.
“It’s always really fun when we come here,” Lavendar said. “I always feel safe. There’s security at the door when you get checked in.”
“The food, the drinks, I mean, there’s a DJ. I know there is gaming for the kids. It’s just a lot of fun,” Derosia said.
“I think if you look at our events, we have professional bartenders,” Kinnett said. “A professional bartender can see when someone’s had too much to drink. We have food for a reason: it absorbs alcohol.”
The group says they even shuttle the attendees to and from the game.
“We got Jack Daniels Ride Responsibly shuttles, so people don’t have to drive to the stadium after they’ve been drinking,” Kinnett said.
Related video: Eastern Market shakes up tailgates, cancels for next home game after violence
Since the deadly shooting, Eastern Market has been working with their security team and Detroit police to develop a new strategy for safe tailgating.
Kinnett says while he is deeply saddened at the tragedy that occurred, he and the Detroit Lions do not think the isolated incident should stop their event from happening.
“It’s food, fun and football,” he said.
For tickets to Monday’s VIP Tailgate, visit Bullseye Event Group's website.
