Deal shoots for free parking

The deal calls for at least 1,700 free parking spots.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The city is ironing out a deal with USA Parking Systems to provide free parking for people going to the convocation center.
The details aren't finalized, but Jeff Kossow, the center's executive director, said at least 1,700 parking spaces at USA Parking decks and lots would be provided free of cost to the facility's patrons.
"It will be a short walk -- two, three or four blocks -- from these spaces to the facility," said Matthew Hufnagel, the convocation center's director of sales and marketing. "It will be cold on some days, but it's a short walk, and inside the arena, it will be warm."
Available facilities
Among the parking facilities to be made available to those attending center events, Hufnagel said, are two parking decks: on Walnut Street near the downtown post office and at East Commerce and Champion streets, near the YMCA.
"When you go to events in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, you sometimes have to walk eight blocks and pay $15 to park," he said. "We're going to have two parking decks as well as parking lots nearby. It will be a short walk to the facility."
Walking to and from the arena will also give people an opportunity to go past businesses, restaurants and bars in the city's downtown, Hufnagel said.
"Everyone will benefit from this," he said. "People can get dinner or a drink before or after a show."
The city is negotiating financial compensation with USA Parking for this arrangement, Hufnagel said.
On-site parking
The convocation center will provide about 300 parking spaces on its property for suite and club seat owners as well as for the Youngstown SteelHounds, the Central Hockey League team that will play its home games at the arena.
Also, Hufnagel expects businesses with parking areas near the facility to provide parking for a fee, and for nonprofits to use other lots to raise money.
For example, a civic organization could charge $2 to park in the post office lot and donate the money to charity, he said.
The arena is set to open Oct. 29.
Construction is almost done, with crews installing seats and dasher boards -- the boards around the hockey rink.
The center also is hosting a job fair Oct. 10-12 at the Holiday Inn MetroPlex off Belmont Avenue in Liberty, and wants to hire about 275 part-timers to work at the facility.
skolnick@vindy.com