Free Parking at Glendale Stadium?

[Red Hawk]

Cards' parking plan to reward season ticket holders

Louie Villalobos
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 23, 2006 03:40 PM


The Arizona Cardinals' parking plan for their new stadium has two aims: reward longtime season-ticket holders and help guide them to their new roost in Glendale.

Team officials on Friday described a color-coded system that will park season-ticket holders within walking distance of Cardinals Stadium for free.

The Cardinals revealed the parking plan as the team was preparing to send the information to season-ticket holders.

It's the opening in a series of educational attempts to make the team's Glendale debut as painless as possible for fans who began congregating for games in Tempe in 1988.

The parking situation in Glendale, where assigned lots will be concentrated around the stadium, will be vastly different from that in Tempe, where fans parked in lots scattered throughout the Arizona State University campus area.

Longtime season-ticket holders will be assigned spaces closest to the stadium. The team also will offer paid parking upgrades first to club-seat owners, then to general ticket holders.

Single-game ticket holders will park less than one mile from the $455 million stadium in an off-site parking lot, where the city of Glendale will provide a shuttle service.

"Right now, this is the only lot that's going to require a shuttle service," John Drum, Cardinals director of stadium operations, said Friday. "We're happy with how close the parking is."

Team officials said more information, including detailed parking, transportation maps, and tailgating information, will be sent out in July. That packet will include passes that assign parking lots.

The stadium is off Maryland Avenue just east of Loop 101.

"This is the first time our season-ticket holders have ever driven out there to park," said Ron Minegar, vice president of sales and marking for the Cardinals. "So there will be an educational process. That's why we want to send out as many details as we can."

Season-ticket holders will get one pass for every four season tickets they own. The free parking on game day is a result of a $4.25 "facility use fee" that is tacked on to the purchase price of each ticket.

The Pittsburgh Steelers come to Glendale on Aug. 12, officially opening the venue and marking the first of 10 planned home games.

Minegar said there will be approximately 25,000 parking spaces available on game days. All but about 2,500 will be within walking distance of the stadium. Those will be located on the nearby offsite lot.

Team officials said the parking spaces will be assigned according to how long fans have been season-ticket holders. Those on the list the longest are guaranteed a place right outside the stadium.

Newer season-ticket holders will most likely park in one of about 7,200 spaces reserved in Westgate City Center. Glendale officials said 2,000 spaces will be set aside for normal Westgate business. The retail and entertainment center is not expected to open until October.

Club-seat ticket holders will be given first crack at upgrading to one of about 4,000 preferred parking spaces, which are located outside the stadium's north entrance. The cost for those spaces will be $200 for the entire season.

One of the keys to the plan, Minegar said, is making sure fans know how to get in and out of the stadium. Because the stadium is new, team and Glendale officials are concerned that fans will experiment with different routes.

That could lead to residential neighborhood roads being taken over by wandering fans unfamiliar with the area.

The stadium parking plans come days after Glendale residents were told how football fans will be kept out of neighborhoods. The city will install 17 soft barriers on local roads and station about 35 police officers in 24 different locations near the stadium.

City Manager Ed Beasley said the neighborhood and the Cardinals parking plans should compliment each other well.

"It's not an exact science," Beasley said. "But we think it's a pretty solid plan that will make it the best game experience possible."

 

[ajcardfan]

Awesome!!!!

 

[Shane]

 

[Red Dawn]

Great deal!!

 

[BigRedRage]

Season-ticket holders will get one pass for every four season tickets they own. The free parking on game day is a result of a $4.25 "facility use fee" that is tacked on to the purchase price of each ticket.

so since i have 3 tickets i dont get good parking?

 

[Burg72]

I wonder if the off-site parking will be at Copper Canyon High School on Camelback and 91st Ave?

 

[az jam]

So the real questions is what do season ticket holders do that do not have four season tickets??? Do we pay for parking? How much? And where are the spaces??

 

[Shane]

So the real questions is what do season ticket holders do that do not have four season tickets??? Do we pay for parking? How much? And where are the spaces??

I think it means you get free parking for "up to" 4 tickets. So if you have 1 or two you still get it. If you have more than 4 you get two spots and so on and so on. Thats how I read it.

 

[Scott MS]

This plan addresses parking, but not tailgating. It doesn't seem that thought out for tailgating.

They obviously are trying to use every possible parking spot in the surface lots around the stadium so I would question how willing they will be to allow people to set up tailgating in adjoining parking spaces, since every long time Card fan will be crammed in the lot closest to the stadium.

I'd rather have them open the whole place up so if you get there early, you can go further out and take some extra space prior to the game and before the regular parkers show up.

.

 

[justAndy]

anchor your BBQ in the bed of your truck - you know, use your truck like a TRUCK.

 

[azsouthendzone]

This plan addresses parking, but not tailgating. It doesn't seem that thought out for tailgating.

They obviously are trying to use every possible parking spot in the surface lots around the stadium so I would question how willing they will be to allow people to set up tailgating in adjoining parking spaces, since every long time Card fan will be crammed in the lot closest to the stadium.

I'd rather have them open the whole place up so if you get there early, you can go further out and take some extra space prior to the game and before the regular parkers show up.

.

they'll probably let you tailgate directly in front of your spot. It would be unfair to let someone use spots next to them to tailgate, unless they have multiple passes. Same rules apply in San Diego.

 

[seesred]

my biggest question is. If you have 8 tickets and need three spots how do you get the third pass? Or where does the other person have to park and how much?

GBR
40

 

[azsouthendzone]

my biggest question is. If you have 8 tickets and need three spots how do you get the third pass? Or where does the other person have to park and how much?

GBR
40

ebay or you should have put their tickets in their name. Carpooling is the key.

 

[ajcardfan]

so since i have 3 tickets i dont get good parking?

You get one parking pass. The spot depends on how long you've been a season ticket holder.

 

[az jam]

I think it means you get free parking for "up to" 4 tickets. So if you have 1 or two you still get it. If you have more than 4 you get two spots and so on and so on. Thats how I read it.

Thanks, that makes good sense.

 

[TruColor]

I apologize if I've just missed this, but what about those of us who come in from out-of-town and just need parking for one game?

My wife and I are flying in from Colorado for that first preseason game vs. the Steelers...

 

[D-Dogg]

 

[ajcardfan]

I apologize if I've just missed this, but what about those of us who come in from out-of-town and just need parking for one game?

My wife and I are flying in from Colorado for that first preseason game vs. the Steelers...

You park in the single game lot and ride a shuttle to the stadium. Or, you hitch a ride with one of us.

 

[TruColor]

You park in the single game lot and ride a shuttle to the stadium. Or, you hitch a ride with one of us.

Oops. Yeah, it says that right there in the article.

Sorry (!).

 

[Bobcat]

What about Handicap Accessible Parking...??? Where is that going to be located; and what is the cost of that parking going to be...???


Bobcat

 

[Scott MS]

I received a letter in the mail yesterday from the Cards with the map, here's the highlights pertaining to some of the questions:

1. 1 to 4 seats on acct gets 1 pass, 5 to 8 seats gets 2 passes, 9 to 12 seats gets 3 passes, and 13+ seats get 4 passes (so, yes, if you have 1 or 2 seats, you'll get pass)

2. You can buy additional passes if you want them.

3. Everybody can upgrade to "Preferred-Express" (which is Red on the West and North and gray on the East) and just north of the stadium for $200/season. Sounds like "loft" and club holders will get this location already.

4. There is an oversize lot on the East side for RV/oversized vehicles.

5. It says to inquire about disabled parking or RV/oversized parking by contacting the Cards ticket office 602-379-0102.

6. Season ticket holders on the East will receive passes generally in the East lot, season tickets holders on the West will receive passes generally in the West lot -- all in accordance with your account seniority and seat location.

7. There are really only 7 lots as follows

West
West Preferred
East
East Preferred
North Preferred
Westgate (around the Coyotes arena)
Offsite with shuttle service for single game ticket holders.

8. Unless you upgrade, you do not need to do anything, passes will be mailed starting at the beginning of July.

 

[Red Hawk]

Good to know. I was wondering why the North was "preferred". Even though the bottom West lot would seem to be preferential to those of us seating in the southwest side of the stadium.

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[football karma]

for what its worth -- with club seats you still have to pay extra to get the "express preferred" parking

what you get for that I dont know as even the preferred lots are first come, first parked and the lots are no closer to the stadium than the regular west or east lots

 

[Scott MS]

I can't see any benefits from the preferred lots either. I actually think the West lot may be the best because it's near the park.

One other thought as a 1/2 season Coyotes ticket holder, I guess we can be pretty sure they won't have games/events at both venues on the same night. Seems like some of the parking is used jointly and I could only imaging what a nightmare that would be with two games at once.

 

[CardEd]

One other thought as a 1/2 season Coyotes ticket holder, I guess we can be pretty sure they won't have games/events at both venues on the same night. Seems like some of the parking is used jointly and I could only imaging what a nightmare that would be with two games at once.

parking issuses aside I hope they do schedule games on the same day. Sounds like a great sports day to me. A Cardinals win and a nightcap with the yotes......