Safe Zone 4

Safe Zone 4 is the Frank Erwin Center on the University of Texas Austin campus. It is a secure area for uninfected to gather and seek refuge.

History
The Frank Erwin Center was completed in 1977 for a total cost of $34 million. Originally named the Special Events Center, it was renamed the Frank Erwin Center in 1980 after former UT Regents member Frank Erwin died that year. The facility was meant to house the Longhorns Basketball Team, both men's and women's, and underwent an expansion in 2003 that added more seating, lighting, video equipment and executive suites. The center also saw extensive use for large-scale events such as concerts and wrestling.

It is located on the southeastern portion of the UT campus, within walking distance of downtown Austin. It is bordered on the east by Interstate 35.

Current Use
With its large size, notable architecture and proximity to the UT campus as well as downtown Austin, the center has become one of the large safe zones devoted to providing shelter and refuge for survivors of the incident. The huge indoor area provides much room for people to sleep, stocks of food already present can be rationed out, and defensible positions can be set up on the tall roof or at the relatively few main entrances.

Layout
The inside of the Erwin Center can be divided into three separate areas: The upper mezzanine of seating, the lower "arena" seating, and the ground floor. For concert events, the facility is able to seat nearly 18,000 people, and as basketball season is over, the floor has been removed to reveal the stark concrete underneath. Not only that, but the innermost ring of seating has been removed in preparation for graduation ceremonies and summer concerts, allowing more room for tents and bedding to be set up. A hallway encircles the actual seating area of the center, with numerous staircases leading both up to the mezzanine and down to arena seating. Concessions surround this area, originally shuttered and locked shut as they were not in use but now broken into.