That parking the Nats couldn't live without? Never mind.

Parking

That parking the Nats couldn't live without? Never mind.

by David Alpert • April 22, 2008 7:19 pm

So many people are using Metro, biking or walking to Nats games that parking near the stadium is going empty, and the Nats are going to let fans pay to use it instead of just season ticket holders.

But if we're doing fine without parking, why encourage it? "Some city officials are quietly complaining that the change will encourage more people to drive instead of using Metro," reports WTOP. How about converting the lower floors of the garages near the stadium to retail use, like DC wanted to in the first place (until the Lerners bullied them into dropping the idea)?

3 comments

Tags: excessive parking, Nationals ballpark

City Paper notices ballparking non-crisis (May 15, 2008)
Stadium opens without parking, world doesn't end (Apr 2, 2008)
The market works, for stadium parking (Apr 8, 2008)
Are you ready for some Metro? (Nov 3, 2008)
DC versus New York (Mar 6, 2008)

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

Comments

Well its not that so many people are taking the metro, its that the season pass holders are not showing up. That revenue is needed to pay for the stadium and pay for a better team. Hopefully they will become obsolete and torn down, they are a huge eyesore.

by Rj on Apr 23, 2008 7:59 am • link • report

its that the season pass holders are not showing up.

The reason Season Pass Holders aren't showing up, is because the Nationals are charging $20 a game to park. Multiply $20.00 time 81 = $1600.00.

That's a lot of money to pay, on top of tickets, just to park. My roomate has season tickets, and he totally laughed at the thought of paying for a parking pass. He just uses the Metro.

by Justin on Apr 23, 2008 10:33 am • link • report

I don't think that Nats have drawn big crowds yet - except for the home opener (which was special and attended by special people) - and I think they've been lulling themselves into a false sense of security traffic-wise. Should be interesting to see what happens this week with weeknight games and good weather and finally some big crowds with the Mets in town.

by Andy on Apr 23, 2008 12:45 pm • link • report