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Decision expected on parking contract
The city administration renegotiated a parking deal for fewer spots at a cheaper rate.
YOUNGSTOWN — If some city council members get their way, those attending events at the Chevrolet Centre will continue to pay an admission tax that includes parking fees, but not be guaranteed parking spaces.
Some council members — including Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, and Councilman DeMaine Kitchen, D-2nd — said center patrons wouldn’t object to paying a fee to park in addition to the admission tax.
“People don’t care about paying a parking fee,” Rimedio-Righetti said.
Council is expected to make a decision on a proposed new parking contract at its next meeting, Oct. 29.
The city pays $16,000 a month to USA Parking Systems, a Cleveland company, to provide up to 2,400 spaces in parking decks and lots for those attending events at the facility.
The city seeks to recoup the money through a 5.5 percent admission tax on most tickets to center events. A few months ago it reduced that amount from 9.5 percent, which provided enough to cover the USA Parking contract.
The city administration recently negotiated a short-term deal with USA Parking to provide 950 spaces at the City Centre deck on Champion and Walnut streets, near the center, for $9,000 a month.
With free on-street parking and new parking deal with USA, the number of spaces would be enough for more than 80 percent of the events at the city-owned center, said Mayor Jay Williams. Well-attended events at the center have averaged about 1,200 cars.
For the past year, members of city council have avoided making a long-term decision on what to do about providing parking for those who attend events at the Chevrolet Centre.
On at least four occasions, council chose to give USA Parking a short-term extension.
On Wednesday, council gave an informal OK to have the city’s board of control approve a retroactive extension through Oct. 31. The current deal expired Sept. 30.
The proposed new deal with USA Parking would also include the use of 200 spaces for a business looking to open at the city-owned 20 Federal Place building, said city Finance Director David Bozanich, who declined to disclose the company’s name.
The company won’t come to Youngstown without the free parking, he said.
Williams said he doesn’t necessarily oppose market rate parking, but the change needs to be made slowly, particularly because the center has three major shows this month.
The shows are Saturday’s Smucker’s ice show, the Meat Loaf concert Oct. 23, and the Oct. 29 Get Out and Vote ’08 show featuring the Beastie Boys and Sheryl Crow, among others.
Other reasons to wait on a long-term parking deal, Williams said, are decisions on the naming rights of the center and a long-term plan for hockey at the facility.
skolnick@vindy.com