Okay, I understand lots of people are in town and parking is bad, but the thing that was really bad last night was how there were so many lots that said they were open, I'd go in, and then find they were completely full. The Harkins pay lot was the worst. There was actually a guy on duty in the pay booth... Since the gate prints out tickets surely a computer is keeping track of the number of people going into the lot. I think I hit three lots last night like this. I'm just saying that maybe parking lot owners need to actively manage their lots right now a bit more than usual.

Talk to Brewer... they're really just interested in taking your money, not if you benefit from anything.

I had no problem finding a free parking spot (and not at the harkins/bass pro lot, either) and walking to the game last night.

Either you were there earlier or found a better lot than I could. Which one did you end up parking in?

Got to the baseball game at 7:20 or so. Every lot I saw was full (which is good!).

You can always park in Deep Deuce (on the street) and walk down the Walnut Ave Bridge.

First off, Harkins doesn't have a pay lot, theirs is free. You must be talking about Brewers lot. Keep in mind we have TONS of people in town this week for a big convention that was at Cox Center, the Womens NCAA Sweet 16 is in town, AND the Texas Rangers/White Sox were playing a sold out game at Bricktown Ballpark, all this on top of normal weekend Bricktown traffic. There was also a HUGE health fair at Coca-Cola Center today and most of us exhibitors were also setting up our booths last night as well. I saw plenty of spaces available, it might not be in front of the door as some people are used to, but there were plenty of spaces. That's part of the urban lifestyle, WALKING.

I had fun walking around downtown today taking pictures. We parked in front of the new bricktown police station, walked down to harkins, across to the ford center, down to the botanical gardens, then the library, museum, civic center musical hall, back down couch to the skirvin, by the buffalo and back to my car. It was great.

Here are a few hints for parking downtown...

Meters: Only have to be paid during weekdays and between the hours of like 9AM to 5 or 6 PM. Weekends, off hours, and Holidays, it's free.

Ball Park Parking Garage: Mornings, Free to come in and pay to go out, afternoons after 5 or 6, pay to come in, free to go out. So if you come in early enough and stay late enough, you can park and not pay a single dime. I use to work 11 am to 9 pm at Coach's, never paid to park there.

Ford Center/Cox Convention Center: There is a small unpaved lot on the south side of the crosstown at 4th and E.K. Gaylord next to the wall of the train tracks, just watch out, the crosstown might fall on you. *rimshot*

Anyone else got hints?

The large lot at, and south of, Bass Pro.

The street just north of the the Sheraton is a long time favorite, and I often find only my vehicle and an occasional carriage for hire using that street.

There are other smaller spots in between, but parking at the fringe and enjoying conversation as you stroll is simply part of the evening.

I can almost always find a spot on the street somewhere. If not in Bricktown proper, then in the CBD which is a short walk.

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How about the Santa Fe garage? It's a great spot for games at the Ford Center, and it's not a terrible walk to Bricktown. I was out of town last night, but am going to the game at the Ford tonight and plan to park there. There was always space for Hornets' games.

I think parking may rapidly become an issue as visitors to Bricktown increase....

I heard the same thing when the canal was finished. Maybe someday, but from my limited observations, that day is still out on the horizon. When it arrives, someone will likely step up make some nice change with a bigger, better shuttle service.

Good tip!

I have problems parking sometimes when there aren't 100 things all going on in BTown...I'd like to see another garage, despite how ugly they tend to be.,

You misinterpreted my post. I wasn't complaining about the walking. I was complaining that several of the lots said they were open and were in fact full. I hope that pay parking lot owners will better actively manage their lot status on busy nights in the future. I probably wasted 30 minutes entering lots each time to find that they were completely full, and then upon exiting had to explain to the attendant why I shouldn't be charged since I had literally just driven around and never parked.

I was talking about the pay lot directly adjacent to the Bricktown theater. I have no idea who owns it and I don't care.

I eventually parked in the garage in downtown at EK Gaylord and Main (at 7:30 p.m. I couldn't find any open lots in Bricktown anywhere I checked... and I checked quite a ways out), and walked to Bricktown from there. The walk only took 5 minutes or so and was nice. I just wish the signs on the lots in Bricktown accurately reflected their status, I would have just gone straight to that garage.

I forgot to add, some/most sundays are completely free.

Are you truly taking time out of your day to complain about the parking in bricktown! As far as i am concerned that should be the least of your worries and if you want to talk about management of the lots you might want to gain some in sight on who owns what lots before you place blame on certain property owners! If you took the time to evaluate the situation you would realize those lots are not managed or owned by the Brewers! So the next time you question lot management and efficiency do your research and slam the right people!

If we have to drive to Bricktown then we need a place to park. Urban lifestyle means walking from home. Most of us are driving in from the burbs and once we get our cars to Bricktown we shouldn't have to drive all over looking for a place to park. I run into it all the time. We need a city owned garage in Btown. I don't like how they look either but it's badly needed.

The problem with people in Oklahoma is that they are not used to paying for parking. I have never seen the ballpark garage full, there are always spots in there but you have to pay a few dollars.

> then we need a place to park

I refer you back to #12 for some easy freebie parking spots. I have never seen these areas packed full, not even close to full, not one single time.

If you meant you need a place to park within 50 of a fron door to fav destination, well, I rarely find that in a Wally world in far SE Oklahoma during visits to my home town, so not finding in someplace more meaningful doesn't even make my radar. I concede I look for close in parking in inclement weather, but most times I simply park and stroll.

Guess what, maybe you should gain some insight, Brewer does own parking lots. And with Brewers history, there will always be complaints. Brewer can be the next Gaylord for all i'm concerned. And yes, people took there time out to complain about parking, but you took the time to complain about someone complaining. Congradulations.

The place of the invention of the parking meter and you want to say we're not use to paying for parking.

It has a lot less to do with the $5 than it does with the 5 hours it takes to get out of that sucker at the end of an event or bar closing time. No one is complaining about $ in this thread really. I just fear that we might reach a critical mass of parking soon.

I have to agree that there's a problem. It's not about the $$$, it's about availability, congestion and whether it's worth it to fight that.

Really, the only way that garage would be a great garage is if it had been built differently maybe with more than one exit (like Main Street Parking downtown). At least that would promote people getting in and out of there a little better. Although i suppose anytime I park in a garage where a ton of people showed to go drinking, I'm in for a wait.