News

October 10, 2005 - The City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Bobcats organization today announced the transportation management plan for Charlotte Bobcats Arena, including Print and Park, an innovative new program designed to provide convenient, online, advance purchase parking for guests of the arena.

The arena’s transportation plan is a collaborative effort between the City of Charlotte, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Charlotte Department of Transportation and Charlotte Arena Transit System (CATS), Charlotte Center City Partners and the Charlotte Bobcats organization includes a thorough review of anticipated traffic patterns on event nights, evaluation of existing parking inventory, public transportation alternatives to reduce vehicular traffic, consistent temporary and permanent signage as well as street-walking and sidewalk improvements. Another component of the plan is a comprehensive, ongoing education and communications effort to inform the public of parking locations, directions and access routes.

“The objective of the transportation management plan was to create an easy, convenient and safe way for guests of the arena to access the center city,” said Pat McCrory, mayor of the City of Charlotte. “We are confident that our comprehensive plan, coupled with the Bobcats' Print and Park program, will make traveling to and from the area even easier than before.”

Print and Park is a revolutionary online parking program that allows arena guests to purchase parking in advance of an event in a parking lot of their choice. With just a click of the computer mouse, guests can choose a parking lot, get direct routing to their selected parking lot, and print a parking pass for their location before they arrive at an event.

“Our goal is to utilize the most advanced technology available to enhance the guest experience both inside and outside the arena,” said Barry Silberman, chief operating officer, Charlotte Bobcats Arena. “Print and Park allows us to streamline the parking process for our guests by providing quick and easy online parking options.”

Print and Park creates a link between the arena and local parking lots. Participating parking lots are categorized by address and their walking distance to the arena. Guests are able to purchase parking up to 48 hours in advance of the scheduled event time. Print and Park users will be able to select available parking in lots that are a 5, 10 or 15 minute walk from the arena for most events. Guests will receive an email confirmation and direct routing to their selected lot within eight hours of their parking purchase. A second confirmation with the latest, most updated route information will be sent to Print and Park users no later than 24 hours in advance of an arena event.

Participating parking lot operators are responsible for parking prices. Pricing will vary per event and per location. A convenience fee of $2.50 will be charged per Print and Park purchase.

Print and Park will launch at 12:00 noon, Friday October 14, 2005. At that time, advance purchase parking will be available at CharlotteBobcatsArena.com for the following events:
• The Rolling Stones (October 21, 2005)
• National Arenacross Series (November 18-20, 2005)
• U2 (December 12, 2005)
• Bill and Gloria Gaither’s Jubilaté (December 31, 2005)
• The first 15 Charlotte Bobcats home games (November 5, 7, 9, 11, 16, 23, and 26, 2005; December 7, 10, 13, 17, 19, 23, 28, and 30, 2005).

Charlotte Bobcats season ticket holders will receive detailed information and instructions regarding parking for Bobcats home games in the mail over the course of the coming days.

Information on public transportation options to the arena can be viewed at www.ridetransit.org and a full listing of Uptown parking options around the arena can be accessed by clicking here.

Charlotte Bobcats Arena, opening October 21, 2005, is located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte and will be home to the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, WNBA’s Charlotte Sting, and ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers. The state-of-the-art arena will host more than 125 events a year including sports, concerts and family entertainment. In addition to the October 21 Rolling Stones concert, the Bobcats home season which tips off on November 5 and the Checkers home season which begins November 6, the arena has announced shows and performances by Elton John (November 12), National Arenacross Series (November 18-20), Disney on Ice: Princess Classics (November 30-December 4), Mannheim Steamroller (December 11), U2 (December 12), Dolly Parton (December 15), Clay Aiken Christmas (December 21), Bill and Gloria Gaither Jubilate (December 31), USHRA Monster Jam (January 6 and 7), Bon Jovi (January 18), CIAA Basketball Tournament (February 27 – March 4) and the Harlem Globetrotters (March 25).