- Utah Jazz’s stadium, the Vivint Smart Home Arena is now 100% Cashless. The decision has been made after a 3 months test period, in which a 10% to 30% decrease in waiting time has been observed. Different Cashless payment methods are accepted (credit cards, prepaid card issued by Mastercard, Apple, Google, Samsung, Android Pay, and payments via the club’s mobile application). Non-recurring visitors will be able to get a prepaid card at the 5 Cash-to-Card kiosks located in the venue.
A 100% cashless experience
Since the 18th of January 2020, the Utah Jazz’s stadium, located in Salt Lake City, has become 100% Cashless. None of the stores inside the 18,306 seats venue is accepting cash payments anymore.
Since October 2019, a Cashless solution has been tested inside the arena, at determined point of sales. Results have been positive and convincing as the waiting time at these kiosks of 10% to 30% has been observed. In collaboration with “Salted Honey Hospitality” (Catering Joint Venture between Levy and the Utah Jazz) and “E15 Group” (Consulting), the decision to switch to a 100% Cashless environment has been made. The on-site Wifi is provided by Xfinity.
Different payment methods accepted at different point of sale
For the F&B, are accepted since the 14th of January 2020 only credit/debit cards, prepaid cards (please find below details about how it operates), Jazz Notes (a virtual currency available only for the season-ticket holders, that can be used only inside the venue, with a parity 1$ = 1 Jazz Notes), and payments made through the club and arena’s application, called “Utah Jazz + Vivint Arena App”, on which you can find a digital wallet and register your credit card.
The team’s shop accepts from now on payments made with a credit/debit card, a prepaid card, and mobile payments made through the club’s application, or through Apple, Google, Samsung, Android Pay. The “box-offices” (kiosks where you can purchase tickets) are accepting payments through a credit/debit cards or prepaid cards.
How does the prepaid card system works?
Prepaid cards can be obtained at 5 “Cash-to-Card” kiosks, which are located inside the venue. During the test-period (from October 2019 to January 2020), these transactions accounted for 1% of the overall transactions recorded in the arena. The idea behind the prepaid card issued is to give the possibility to non-recurring visitors to make purchases inside the stadium. The conversion from Cash to Card is free of transaction fees, cards are issued by Mastercard. The top-up limit is set to 500$, and this card can be used as a classic credit card, even outside the stadium. However, these cards can be topped-up only once.
Applicable for match days, but not only…
All visitors are incentivized to download the club and arena’s mobile application, where they will be able to find useful information, their tickets, their Cashless payment solution. They will also be able to access a “Skip the Line” service, where they will be able to place an order at any F&B kiosks inside the venue, and pick it up once it is ready, without waiting time.
This app also includes all the events happening within the arena (not only basketball games). Hence, it will give the possibility to its’ users to benefit from the same services for non-basketball events (ticketing platform, digital wallet, Skip the Line etc.). Non-recurring visitors have to find a Cashless payment solution if they are willing to purchase items during their visit.
The stadium is 100% Cashless, however, an exception is made for merchandising kiosks for third-party organized events (i.e. music shows). These shops will be able to accept non-cashless payments.
As this environment has been set-up recently, no feedback, nor datas are currently available on the benefits of this Cashless environment.