 A parking ambassador directs a vehicle to a parking spot off King Street Saturday. Game day parking was revised to oblige businesses. Photo by Tommy Penick
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by JUSTIN HERBERGER
News Reporter
The Town of Boone and McLaurin Parking Company improved their strategy for balancing the parking needs of football fans and patrons of Boone’s downtown businesses Saturday.
After the football home opener Sept. 12, Melanie’s Food Fantasy and other establishments located on King Street reported the special event parking restrictions confused customers and contributed to a bad day for business.
The town placed cones in every parking space on King Street in order to reserve spots for patrons of downtown businesses.
Customers said they did not know which set of motorists the spaces were reserved for.
The
McLaurin Parking Company, contracted by Boone to organize parking and
traffic for special events like Appalachian State University football
games, addressed the issue of confusion after the Sept. 12 game.
McLaurin
removed the cones and placed about 20 signs in a two-block area to help
motorists determine their appropriate parking area.
Four “Parking Ambassadors” served to monitor off-street lots and facilitate parking on the street.
McLaurin said the company and the town will reevaluate the plan this week and is open to further adjustment.
“We’re
trying to reach the balance of making it easy for people to park,
accepting the people that are coming for the football game, but parking
them in the off-street areas while the normal business in Boone is
enabled,” Steve McLaurin of the McLaurin Parking Company said.
Saturday’s home game was a success for the Mountaineers and Boone’s downtown businesses.
“Business
[Saturday] was a lot better [than the first football game],” server
Hannah F. Wallach said. “Nobody was confused about where to park and
all of our customers were really happy.”
McLaurin
said the town will take “whatever steps it takes to maintain that
balance of accommodating football patron while maintaining the vibrancy
of business Saturday.”
Photo by Tommy Penick | The Appalachian
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