The City of Tampa will reduce prices for parking to $5 for events at the Forum. Did the city finally realize that their garages are not close enough to charge $10? Naw. The Downtown Partnership suggested it will alleviate traffic in south downtown and increased revenues for businesses in the CBD.
The cost cutting move results from discussions over the last six months between the city and the Tampa Downtown Partnership about reducing traffic congestion related to Forum events and making the central business district more inviting to residents after normal business hours.
“The city’s garages were fairly underutilized during games,” said Karen Kress, the partnership’s transportation and planning director. Directing fans to park at the cheaper garages, just three blocks away from the arena, should alleviate traffic jams on the south side of downtown before and after Lightning games, she said.
So they think people are willing to walk a half mile from those city lots in the hopes of saving $5. And another half mile back. And that will make room for the non-sports fan living in Hyde Park so she can drive in during hockey games and dine at Stumps.
Right. This price reduction will change nothing.
I’ve been to Channelside during arena events. The garage there charges $10 on the assumption you are going to the game. Why aren’t they lowering prices there to get people to go there during or after the game? Because they know it doesn’t matter.
If the downtown partnership – or any other entity – wants to increase the activity of the after-hours downtown, then the entire area must be made more pedestrian-friendly. Surrounding the arena are acres and acres of filled up parking lots. For sure, there are also two restaurants. But they are both always filled way over capacity. And behind them, more acres of parking lots.
What if instead of parking, if there were shops and more restaurants closer to the arena? Then you would have thousands of people walking right past them to get to their cars!
Oh, but then you would have to hope to change the mindset of fat, lazy Americans to consider it is perfectly acceptable to actually WALK more than three blocks to get to the game. Go ahead and hold your breath for that. The team will move to Omaha first.
Mr. Bill
3 years ago
When are they moving to Omaha ?
I am amazed at people that park their cars illegally in the firelane at the grocery store instead of walking 4 spaces to a parking space.
No wonder we have become obese.
james
3 years ago
Look at other cities and how they handle it. St. Pete hosts many large events and spring training games downtown and people park at the large garages or on the street and walk. Since there are places to eat and drink between the event and the parking. It makes the journey seem not as long.
C.W.
3 years ago
It’s a good first step for downtown. Paying Mayor Pam $5 for parking instead of $10 to a greedy private lot owner means more money for beer at the Lightning game. It ain’t that far a walk from Ft. Brooke.
Jason
3 years ago
“What if instead of parking, if there were shops and more restaurants closer to the arena? Then you would have thousands of people walking right past them to get to their cars!”
I think they will have a lot of additional retail when the towers across from channelside are completed. Right next to some of the parking and on the trolley route as well.
Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog » Blog Archive » lightning can’t get enough
3 years ago
[...] not even bring up the additional parking revenues they want from the city (by the way, since the city lowered parking rates in January, I wonder if they’ve seen an increase in [...]