Free parking may be thing of the past

If the parking fee at the recent Orange County Choppers in America tour is any indication, visitors to Spokane County’s fairgrounds can expect to see higher prices at future events.

Attendees paid $10 per car and $5 per motorcycle to park each day – the highest ever at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, which has traditionally offered free parking or charged a couple of bucks at most. But fairgrounds and visitors bureau officials said the income from parking is necessary to attract larger national events, such as OCC.

“Believe me, we’re working on more national events that will require parking fees,” said Harry Sladich, president of the Spokane Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The change at the July 28-30 event, which drew about 16,000 people, surprised and upset some motorcycle fans, Sladich said.

The fairgrounds typically lets event promoters set parking costs and keep any parking profits, while requiring them to pay for security.

Fair officials made an exception for the OCC event, which the visitors’ bureau had estimated would draw 55,000 fans. The county agreed to pay security costs in exchange for half of all parking revenue, which totaled roughly $22,000, said Dolly Hughes, fairgrounds director.

Yet the fairgrounds’ share – combined with a $32,000 rental fee it collected – didn’t cover the estimated $45,000 to $50,000 it spent on security.

Hughes said she wouldn’t know the exact amount of the loss until next week.

She said she can only remember two events charging for parking during the last nine years. A circus several years ago charged $3 a car – the most until OCC.

Events such as the Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show and the county fair do not charge.

Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris said breaking even would have been sufficient for the county, adding that the national publicity generated by the event was invaluable.

“It should be making money for the fairgrounds, because we have to pay for the bond for all the improvements that we made out there,” he said. “But at the same time, a first-time event like that doesn’t usually make a lot.”

OCC tour producer Kerry Dunne set the parking price after determining that event producers would need $5 a car. The company also received all profits from alcohol, tickets and OCC merchandise sales.

Neither the official tour Web site nor the guide published in The Spokesman-Review listed parking costs. Dunne said he assumes people expect to pay to park.

“Nobody advertises parking,” he said.

Dunne said he expects a share of parking money in communities that host events to help offset costs. The OCC stop in Spokane cost just less than $1 million, he said.

“As time marches forward, even for the folks in Spokane, to bring in major shows you’re going to have to bring in every source of revenue that you can because these things cost so much money,” Dunne said.

Dunne said the Boys & Girls Club of Spokane County received a portion of the event’s revenue. A club representative said the amount of the donation isn’t yet available.

He said the cost of parking is relative, adding that he paid $20 a night for valet parking at The Davenport Hotel during the Spokane tour stop, and that people pay as much as $56 a day to park in New York City.

Attendees at the tour’s next stop, in Austin, Texas, will pay $12 for parking, Dunne said.

Sladich said people might find a $5 to $8 fee more palatable. He added that visitors could have parked for free on streets near the fairgrounds.

Several nearby businesses also offered cheaper parking in their lots during the OCC event, Hughes said.

Northern Energy Propane, across Havana Street from the fairgrounds, offered parking for $5, said employee Neil Brown.

People “go to Seattle and go to a Mariners game and pay 15 bucks to pay to park, but if they have to pay to park at the fairgrounds, it’s like sacrilege,” he said.