SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Parking rates around Petco Park will increase during special events starting next Monday.
The City of San Diego began installing signs marking the newly designated Special Event Parking Zone in early August.
Starting Sept. 1, people who park within approximately half a mile of Petco Park will have to pay the special event rate of $10 per hour during large events, which include Padres games, concerts and other events with over 10,000 attendees.
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The increased parking rates begin about two hours before events are scheduled to begin and will stay in effect until four hours after the event’s start time.
For example, for the Padres game on Tuesday, Sept. 2, which is scheduled to begin at 6:40 p.m., the special event rate hours will be in effect from 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. A full schedule of upcoming special events at Petco Park can be found on the city’s website here.
According to the city, the decision to implement a Special Event Parking Zone was made to free up more parking spaces downtown and also to reduce congestion by discouraging drivers from circling near the stadium to search for cheaper or free parking options.
The city’s decision was met with backlash from the Padres, whose home stadium is Petco Park. A spokesperson on behalf of the team sent a statement to FOX 5/KUSI after the parking rate increases were announced, saying they would make it more expensive for fans, workers and residents who park in the streets around the ballpark.
However, San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava has stated that establishing the Special Event Parking Zone is a “good opportunity to fix what everybody complains about downtown.”
The city said the increased revenues from the parking meters will also be used to make improvements within the zone.
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