Chapter 35
Vee
About two hours earlier
The inside of Crystal Light was magically transformed into a county fair, if the Coopers were the county. As I walked around the floor with Fran, my director of guest services and fan experience, I was in awe at what she created. “It feels like we’re outside on a sunny summer day.”
Fran smiled. “That was the vibe we were going for.”
“Trees.” I pointed at the tree over twenty feet tall. “They look real.”
“Some are. That one isn’t. I stayed at a hotel in Texas where the entire courtyard was a mini-city. There were trees and restaurants and a running river with bridges. I used that experience to create this.”
The seating was hidden by large drapes. Around the trees were Coopers banners.
Overhead were Coopers signs and banners.
The color amber was present in abundance.
Concessions were placed in food trucks and carnival tents.
Along with the usual assortment of choices were cotton candy and elephant ears.
At one end of the space were games the fans could play.
There were games for all ages, such as the football throw, axe throwing, and roll the whiskey barrel.
For the children we had floating ducks. Choose the duck with the Coopers’ C and win a prize, as well as a ring toss and spin the wheel.
At the other end was the soundstage, designed to look like a free stage at a county fair.
We didn’t have a washed-up, used-to-be-relevant performer.
We had a Kentucky-born, Grammy-, CMA-, and ACM-award-winning performer with an active concert schedule.
I reached out to his agent on a whim. She called back within an hour saying that not only was he available, but he would do it for free—for his pride in the Coopers.
Those were moments that made my skin tingle. The Coopers were Grandpa Carroll’s dream, Dad’s dream, and my dream. They were also the pride of Lexington and all of Kentucky, and a crown jewel in the small-market NFL.
The Coopers’ cheerleaders were also in attendance. Some were manning the games while others were mingling and taking pictures with fans.
A look at my watch told me the doors would soon open to the concourse.
Fans with tickets would be allowed to enter and get out of the cold outdoor temperatures.
The Lamar Hunt Trophy was on display behind unbreakable glass.
Sunday after the game, the lead play-by-play CBS Sports announcer will present the trophy to the owner of the winning team.
The doors within to the event would open at 6:45 p.m., and everything would be in full swing by seven.
I was scheduled to speak at seven thirty.
The concert would begin at nine. We will close at ten.
The maintenance crew would clean and tear down the fair throughout the night. Tomorrow, the amazing workers would transform Crystal Light into the football stadium it was built to be.
Suddenly, I stopped dead in my tracks. The stage made to look like a parade float where I was supposed to speak to the crowd had hundreds, if not more, amber-colored roses. My mouth went dry. “Fran, where did those come from?”
“What?” Fran looked at the stage. “What are you asking about?”
“The roses. I don’t recall us discussing roses.”
“Oh, I honestly don’t know where they came from. They’re not on any of our manifests. I just supposed someone donated them. I didn’t want them to go to waste.” Her smile grew. “Aren’t they pretty?”
“Someone sent the Coopers free roses?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, Vee. At first, I thought we ordered them. Three trucks arrived and unloaded in the loading docks early this morning. Someone on my team signed for them. I didn’t see the trucks, just the flowers.” She narrowed her gaze. “Is there a problem?”
“I need to make a phone call.”
Stepping out into a quiet hallway, I called Virginia.
“Ms. Vee,” she said upon answering. “Is everything all right?”
“I don’t know.” I went on to tell her about the flowers. Each sentence increased my pulse. “Am I overreacting?”
“It’s unusual,” she said. “I’m in Downtown Lexington. Please tell your security that two of my colleagues and I are allowed entry. I want to be with you when the fans enter. Vee, we will be armed.”
“We don’t allow—”
“We are private security for the owner of the Coopers,” she interrupted.
“Yeah, okay. Our security is armed.”
“Please let them know we’re coming.”
I was already on my way to my director of safety, security, and emergency services as I agreed. “Come through gate three. The guards there will know you’re coming.”
My shoes tapped along the concrete floor and echoed off the cement-block walls. This was the part of the stadium fans didn’t enter, the underbelly. I radioed Gavin Weiss and told him to meet me at gate three.
“Is there a problem,” he asked as we met.
“I don’t know.” I didn’t want to explain the entire story. “You know that we work with Stephens Security for private security details?”
Gavin nodded. “Is there a threat? If there is I should know.”
I nibbled my lower lip. “I’ve received some questionable notes of late. I contacted Stephens and they assigned me a member of their team.” I sighed. “I saw something that wasn’t planned and it alarmed me. I called my security representative, and she decided to come and be here, just in case.”
“Vee, every door is covered. We have airport-tight security at every entrance, and every bag is scrutinized for size and contents. We’re safe in Crystal Light.”
“I know that.” I squared my shoulders. “Virginia Athens and two of her colleagues will be entering through gate three. They will be armed. Allow them entry and radio me. I’ll tell you where I am and they can come to me.”
He pressed his lips together. “Yes, Ms. Hubbard.”
As I walked away, I told myself this was an overreaction. Gavin was correct: Crystal Light was secure. One breath in and one out. All I could see in my thoughts were the roses. How many roses did it take to fill three trucks?
My little pep talk did little to calm my now-taut nerves.
A text message came from another of my directors.
Misty Barton oversaw facility and building maintenance.
Her message said the doors to the building were officially open.
The fans entering the concourse had many options for filling the next hour.
Food and beverage counters were open as well as the Coopers’ stadium store selling team merchandise.
During last Friday’s event, Lip reported that we sold as much merchandise as a regular season home-game day. Saturday sales during the divisional round game were double the regular season games.
Gavin’s voice came through my radio. “Ms. Athens and her colleagues are here.”
“I’m behind section 112.”
It didn’t take long for Virginia to find me. “Are you all right?” she asked.
I nodded. “This was probably silly of me. The stadium’s security is the best.”
“Ms. Hubbard,” a tall gentleman said. “My name is Omer Boyd, and this” —he pointed to the other man— “is Raphael Villegas. We’ve worked with Mr. Marsh and are familiar with Crystal Light Stadium.”
“Vee,” Virginia said, “what’s your role in tonight’s festivities?”
“To talk to the fans. I’m scheduled to speak to the crowd at seven thirty. Before and after that, I will be mingling.”
She shared a silent moment with her associates. “We’ll be near you.” She lifted a hand. “Not surrounding you. No one will know who we are or why we’re here. I’ll simply be at your side, like an assistant. Similar to how it was in Las Vegas. Omer and Raphael will always have a visual on you.”
“When I mingle, like last week, I shake hands and pose for pictures. People are close.”
“And that’s the way you want it?”
I nodded. “It is. I’m the new face of the Coopers.”
“When will this be over?”
“Ten. I want to stay for the entire event. I owe it to the fans.”