Rumors of scams involving the lucrative practice of selling Gameday parking spaces have surfaced throughout the 2012 football season. Lauren Silvio, a senior majoring in food and nutrition, said she has seen the same scenario occur several times near her off-campus house.
“I’ve seen men see empty spots in our alley right behind [Tutwiler] between 12th and 13th Street, and they sell the spot and take the person’s money,” Silvio said. “Then after the people walk away, the man leaves, and the car gets towed because it’s someone’s private lot.”
The University claims they have not been warned of this parking scam happening on game days.
“We are not aware of parking scams that have occurred on campus this season,” Cathy Andreen, director of media relations, said. “We do appreciate staff and fans who would warn us if they see them occurring.”
Ronnie Robertson, director of parking services for the University, explained that all Gameday parking locations and some off-campus locations, as well as their cost, can be found at www.uagameday.com. Fans have the ability to reserve legitimate parking spaces on campus for $25. If you do not book in advance, parking spots can sometimes still be found the day of the game with pricing between $20 and $30, according to the website.
“By purchasing parking in advance, they can be assured they will have a parking space when they arrive to campus, know what the cost will be and receive a reduced rate to park,” Robertson said. “If fans do not pre-purchase parking and they arrive on campus and are in doubt about an area that is being sold, they should not pay to park, and leave that area or call 348-5454 or 311 to verify.”
To some students who are able to sell their extra parking spaces around campus, these scams are starting to hurt their often-large profits.
“We make between $450 and $500 per game and divide it up three ways,” Andrew Foley, a sophomore majoring in economics and mathematics, said. He explained that while some students use the money for extra spending, some guys, like his roommate, need that cash to help pay their rent.
“It is infuriating that someone is doing that, because not only are they severely inconveniencing the people parking by getting them towed, but they are also throwing the students who actually have property under the bus,” Foley said. “It’s stealing our business, and if it continues, it could deter fans from using that method to park.”
