The new downtown parking garage, located northwest of the Square between Jefferson and Monroe Avenues, is set to open on Tuesday. Construction of the garage has taken just over a year, and will have 399 parking spaces when completed.
On Sept. 16, the Board of Aldermen voted to pass a recommendation from the Downtown Parking Advisory Commission regarding special event pricing for the downtown parking garage.
Matt Davis, the Director of Parking for the city of Oxford, delivered recommendations to the board based on varying demand, which depends on which football team Ole Miss is playing against in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Davis recommended that for special events such as home football games, spots in the garage should cost $10 for non-SEC home game days and $20 for SEC home game days.
When asked about cars left in the garage overnight before Saturday game days, Davis initially said the plan was to tow cars left in the garage after 10 a.m. on Saturdays.
“That Friday night we will put out signs that say ‘any overnight vehicles that remain after 10 a.m. or the morning of a game will be the responsibility of the driver,’” Davis said.
Alderman John Morgan suggested that instead of towing vehicles parked in the garage on game day, car owners should receive a $50 ticket instead. Other members of the board, including Mayor Robyn Tannehill, saw this proposition as a suitable solution. Davis agreed with Morgan’s proposal.
Following the motion’s passage, the board explained how the sale of the parking permits and garage passes will be sold once the garage is open.
“We actually talked about this last week in work session, but I wanted to be sure that this information was distributed to everyone,” Tannehill said.
Davis said passes will be available for sale on a rolling basis, based on the level of parking pass.
Starting Sept. 30, the most premium all-access parking permits will be available to purchase online for $100. On Oct. 2 the premium weekday permits will be sold for $80. On Oct. 4 select all-access permits will be sold for $70, and the select weekday permits will be sold on Oct. 7 for $60.
“This way we don’t have an influx of everyone at one time. We want to make sure this runs smoothly,” Davis said.
Permits will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. After the designated day for permits closes, people will be put on a waiting list. There are only 240 spaces available for purchase according to the DPAC.
