Columbus Clingstones GM and city councilor address traffic and parking problems
The Columbus Clingstones played their home opener Tuesday in the newly renovated Synovus Park. Although fans were excited to see the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves debut in the city’s baseball stadium after its $50 million upgrade, they experienced some traffic and parking problems.
At the time the game was scheduled to start Tuesday, cars still were trying to park, with traffic backing up out of nearby parking lots.
Fans, who have been used to free parking there, were being charged $5 for parking. Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman told the Ledger-Enquirer the payment process was slowing cars, causing a bottleneck of traffic. Countryman had deputies in the area around the time the game started.
Traffic maps, such as 511GA from the state transportation department, showed slow traffic around the stadium.
A post made by Facebook account “Downtown Columbus” before the game Tuesday said, “Traffic is dangerously backing up into Victory Dr.” The post criticized parking attendants.
“Columbus Clingstones, your parking attendants are way too close to the street and need to be closer to the Civic center so that more cars can enter. Add a few bucks to the ticket prices and avoid all this mess. Stopping 4,000 cars in a driveway that holds 10 cars is a mess,” the post says.
A Facebook account named “Rename Columbus Clingstones” posted criticisms of the parking charge.
“This is called adding insult to injury,” the post says. “Parking has traditionally been free at the civic center. Now the taxpayers pay $50M to refurbish the stadium and the team still tries to charge for parking … in lots that aren’t even close to the stadium.”
A video posted to Facebook page “Electric City Life” showed parked vehicles spanning the side of nearby Broadway the day of the Clingstones’ first home game.
District 7 Columbus Councilor Joanne Cogle, who represents the downtown area around Synovus Park, told the Ledger-Enquirer she hasn’t received any complaints among her constituents about this issue.
The city provided a free shuttle service to Synovus Park from the parking deck across from the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts on Broadway for the Clingstones’ home opener.
“I think if there’s a need for it and there’s an anticipated larger crowd, I think that will be something that the city will consider doing on a more regular basis,” Cogle said when asked whether there have been conversations about continuing the shuttle service.
Pete Laven, general manager of the Clingstones, addressed these criticisms and changes the team has made to help with parking.
Laven told the Ledger-Enquirer via email the team has shifted the direction of the cars to enter farther down the center of the parking lot instead of turning right upon entering.
“It has been working great,” he said.
Laven also addressed criticisms of the $5 charge for parking.
“We will continue to charge the same $5 rate for Clingstones games in 2025,” he said. “Pretty standard or lower than many professional arenas with parking convenient to venue.”
Regarding the parking conditions at the Columbus Civic Center, Laven said, “Great accommodations for fans entering either venue. Many stadiums across minor league baseball would be envious.”
Asked how the Clingstones feel about sharing parking accommodations with Civic Center events, Laven said, “We support any and all events at the Civic Center and hope they are all well attended. The more citizens seeking entertainment the better is our mindset … for us and the city as a whole.”
A post by Luis Marrero on Wednesday in the “Columbus Clingstones Fans” Facebook group says, “Parking issue seems to be resolved. Great job Columbus Clingstones.”