COMBINING SPECTATOR SEATING AND RAILING INTO ONE SCOPE DRIVES TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR CUSTOMERS
High-End Decorative Railing is Having Its Moment in Sports Architecture
With home viewing experiences becoming more sophisticated, professional and collegiate venues are creating entertainment-focused environments to entice fans to leave their living rooms and attend live events. High-end decorative railing now figures prominently in gathering spaces such as terraces, beer gardens, and expanded concourses that offer fans a premium experience.
One Source for Seating and Railing Leads to Better Project Outcomes
Recognizing the trends to optimize the fan experience, and the fact that railing directly integrates with stadium seating, are factors that triggered Dant Clayton to acquire Indianapolis-based Tuttle, a fabricator of high-end engineered railing systems, in 2015.
“Tuttle’s railing products elevate our range of options, particularly for professional and high-level collegiate projects, Now we’re able to offer spectator seating and architectural railing in one scope, including engineering, mounting conditions and structural requirements. We’re able to meet the facility’s structural needs and aesthetic goals while leveraging our expertise to design, manufacture, install and manage these interconnected scopes of work.”
Tuttle Has Been Building Its Sports Portfolio for Decades
“We’ve worked hand-in-hand with architects to understand client needs, especially in high amenity and luxury areas. It’s been a major shift in the sports market, and our railing products are a great fit. The overall aesthetic is now an integral component of the design.”
Bundling Railing with Structural Steel and Seating Mitigates Risk
A common challenge in venue construction comes from mismatched spacing requirements between stadia and railing systems. For example, Dant’s standard guardrail assemblies are engineered for up to 6-foot spans, while other railing suppliers may be limited to 4.5 feet. When these differences aren’t coordinated early, they often surface during construction—leading to unexpected retrofits, added steel, and costly delays.
By handling both scopes under one roof, Dant Clayton eliminates these conflicts before they reach the field. Our integrated team aligns stringer layouts with railing requirements from the start, ensuring a seamless fit, code compliance, and structural integrity. This single-source approach saves time, reduces cost, and delivers a smoother construction process—providing clients with confidence that every component will work together as intended.
Dant Clayton and Tuttle combined their seating components and railing into one scope for the 2022 Rupp Arena renovation project.
“If you're contemplating a renovation inside an existing facility, the seating, the safety requirements, the railings, anything associated with that—I would say you need to include Dant Clayton in your preliminary planning because they're very capable for the products they provide and their long-term performance.”
Beautiful and Functional—A Selection of Railing Systems to Fit Project Needs
The projects below reflect the combined strengths of Dant Clayton’s seating and its railing division, Tuttle.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse
The $360 million renovation of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, was the second largest in NBA history. Tuttle fabricated and installed over 20 different rail types including glass in shoe, aluminum vomitory rails, aluminum bar rail, cable rail, aisle rails, glass button rail, aluminum bar rail with wire mesh infill, 5 different styles of drink rails, and stainless steel plaza rails.
Rolex Stadium at Kentucky Horse Park
Dant Clayton’s vertical picket rail was customized for Kentucky Horse Park’s Rolex Stadium. KHP’s brand color and logo were incorporated into the railing design, adding an iconic presence that embodies the spirit of equine traditions.
Lynn Family Stadium
For the home of LouCity FC, Dant Clayton delivered a comprehensive railing package through the combined expertise of its stadia and architectural railing divisions. Awarded under a single contract, the project demonstrates the value of providing every railing solution from one trusted source, creating a seamless experience for the owner from design through installation.
The stadium incorporates a wide variety of railing systems, each selected to serve a specific purpose while maintaining a cohesive architectural aesthetic throughout the venue. The project scope included safe-standing rail systems in the Estopinal End supporters’ section, cable railing along stairs and egress routes, drink rails throughout the standing-room-only Waterfront GA Supports area, and a combination of cable rail, steel vertical picket rail, and chain-link fencing throughout the upper bowl. By offering the full spectrum of railing solutions under one contract, we were able to help the project team achieve the owner’s design vision while remaining within budget.
One partner. One Team. One accountable outcome.
Together, Dant Clayton and Tuttle offer consistency between the railing on the concourse and seating areas, ensuring 100% visual continuity with coordinated, high-caliber railing options designed, engineered, fabricated and installed by one company.
For owners, architects, and contractors, it’s the optimal package—one partner, one contract, and a complete railing solution that enhances the fan experience while delivering exceptional value.
Discover Tuttle’s sports railing systems, designed to elevate venue aesthetics and ensure venue safety.