Come early and bring cash, Zac Brown concert organizers advise

YOUNGSTOWN

When it comes to the large crowds that will be at Stambaugh Stadium for Thursday’s Zac Brown Band concert, the advice is: hit the decks.

That means head for the parking decks on the Youngstown State University campus, said Danny O’Connell, YSU’s director of support services.

The Fifth Avenue deck, on the corner of Fifth and Lincoln avenues, can hold 1,260 vehicles. Like the surface lots near Stambaugh, the home of YSU’s football team, the cost to park at the Fifth Avenue deck is $20.

If you don’t mind a little walk, O’Connell suggests the Wick Avenue parking deck, which can be accessed from Walnut Street because Wick is still closed to vehicular traffic as it’s still under construction. That lot holds 2,120 vehicles. The GPS address is 100 Wade St.

And it’s only $5 to park there, O’Connell said.

“That’s a quick option for people to park and it shouldn’t be crowded,” he said.

Another piece of advice from O’Connell: “The earlier you get here, the easier it will be to park.”

YSU officials will park people starting in the M72, M71 and the new M66 lots on and near Grant and Arlington streets first for those coming east on Fifth and Ford avenues and west on Belmont Avenue, he said. Those lots hold about 300 spaces.

Once they’re filled, motorists will be directed to the Wick Avenue deck – unless they decide to park there first, particularly those coming from downtown on Fifth Avenue – and then to lots on Rayen Avenue, O’Connell said.

“As people come down, we’ll be directing people south as each lot [and the Fifth Avenue deck] fills up,” he said.

Read more about the plans in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.