Expiration of parking deal to drive up fee for downtown arena events
Council’s decision took a city administration official by surprise.
YOUNGSTOWN — Those going to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Saturday and other events at the Chevrolet Centre for at least the foreseeable future will probably have to dig a little deeper into their pockets to pay an additional parking fee.
A majority of city council members said Wednesday they intend to end a contract with USA Parking Systems to provide spaces in parking decks and lots for those attending events at the center. The contract expires Friday.
“When you go to an event at any other facility, you pay to park,” said Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th and chair of the finance committee. “Sometimes it costs $20.”
The decision by council came as a surprise to Finance Director David Bozanich, who thought the legislative body gave him the go-ahead at an Oct. 15 meeting to renew the contract for the month of November while council decided on a long-term deal.
But most members of council said the extension was only for this month.
“I have no interest in negotiating for parking,” said Councilman Jamael Tito Brown, D-3rd.
When asked Wednesday by The Vindicator after its meeting about the parking issue, most of council said they were letting the parking deal expire.
“People will have to pay to park,” said Councilman DeMaine Kitchen, D-2nd, who added he paid $5 for the recent East-Chaney high school football game.
Council members said they expect USA Parking to start charging center patrons a parking fee beginning Saturday, the first day in November. It’s also going to be an exceptionally busy day at the Chevrolet Centre with two performances by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Only single-seat tickets are left for the shows.
Lou Frangos, head of USA Parking Systems, couldn’t be reached late Wednesday to comment.
The city was paying $16,000 a month to USA Parking to provide up to 2,400 spaces in parking decks and lots for center shows. Well-attended events have averaged about 1,200 cars in the decks and lots, city officials have said.
The city renegotiated a short-term lease earlier this month with the company to provide 950 spaces at the deck on Champion and Walnut streets, near the center, for $9,000 a month.
The city recoups the money through a 5.5 percent admission tax on most tickets to center events.
While most of the money from the tax was used for the parking deal, it’s also used to help promote entertainment in the downtown area and at the center.
The city doesn’t plan to reduce that tax even though paying for parking for those attending center events will no longer be used from it.
The city reduced that amount from 9.5 percent a few months ago.
Bozanich said the reduced lease with USA would include the use of 200 spaces for a business looking to open at the city-owned 20 Federal Place building. The deal hinges on the spaces, he said.
“So I’ll lose the deal,” Bozanich said when told by The Vindicator that council wasn’t renewing the USA lease.
But Rimedio-Righetti and Kitchen said if the company is interested in locating to the city, they’d be open to providing city-paid parking for the company’s workers.
Also Wednesday, council gave the city’s board of control approval to negotiate a deal with Lafarge to pay up to $1.4 million to buy 61 acres the slag company owns on Salt Springs Road.
Bozanich and Mayor Jay Williams said they expect the city to receive a state grant for that purchase. If the state money doesn’t come, the two said they’d return to city council to further discuss the issue.
Council also OK’d a proposal to let the board of control negotiate a deal with Lafarge to have the company lease 30 acres of land at its Ohio Works Business Park. The lease would be for $10 a month, said T. Sharon Woodberry, the city’s economic development director.
The city is working on a deal for the 61 acres that would create at least 300 well-paying jobs with a $50 million new construction investment, Bozanich and Woodberry said.
The city is talking with four potential companies for the land, they said. The two declined to disclose the names of the companies because a deal hasn’t been finalized.
skolnick@vindy.com