Here is a breakdown of the issue with both sides of the debate and a chance to vote your opinion.
Background
Most Oklahoma City residents are already familiar with the renaissance in Bricktown following the original MAPS initiatives and its importance in the city's development. And as the area grew from a broken down warehouse district into a thriving commercial, sports and tourist destination, managing the logistics of such a boom became an issue.One of those issues was parking. New construction of hotels, restaurants and commercial properties, specifically in lower Bricktown south of the canal, has slowly erased options for visitors. Parking near the restaurants that had been free was no longer, and convenient, open parking areas disappeared.
This, of course, led to growing displeasure by Oklahoma City residents as well as other Bricktown visitors who began finding it difficult to park near events or restaurants. In addition, many of the parking operators began routinely charging as much as $20 for premiere events at the Ford Center or Cox Convention Center.
Should parking cost that much in Bricktown, as it certainly does in key areas of other large cities? Or should OKC mirror other cities who place a premium on convenient and often even free parking?
As with any debate, there are multiple perspectives.
