Last I heard, you can still apply to downgrade to a BG pass which allows 24/7 in particular garages or lots and "after hours" parking in most other garages or lots. The BE pass is the tricky one, where you have to be out by 8 AM. In the past, you could press the intercom button on the exit machine to be let out of the garage. Now, you need the exit voucher, which I hear that a lot of departments are hesitant to give out, since there's an associated cost. The tricky part there is that if you get to your car at 7:45 and there's a long line to get out of the garage, that BE pass activates at 8am sharp. If there's one or two cars ahead of you at 7:56, you're sweating. I think you're right about the seniority thing. The "Remote" passes are still available for a sharp decrease in price, but the trick there is that you have to take the bus to get anywhere...which is exactly what OSU wants as they transition to a "park once" atmosphere. CampusParc gets a lot of heat, maybe some of it deserved, but OSU still actually writes the rules. Everything CampusParc does has to be approved by OSU. FWIW, I've been able to park in close garages 2-3 hours before kickoff, no issue. Now, it is true that some people will arrive at 5 AM, no matter the kickoff time and even earlier for the "once in a lifetime #1 vs #2 matchup." (In those rare cases, there's people there to chase you out of a lot, so I heard.) But, if you're stadium staff, you're probably there by 2-3 hours before kickoff anyway...and, I believe you can tailgate in a garage...it's the grills the city doesn't allow, including on rooftops. Fire code stuff. (They also don't allow grills in public right-of-ways, near buildings, under tents or on grass...but that all is just common sense.) Smartphone? I believe you can add parking time via the app...of course, that actually requires getting a signal in SJA which is a different story.
OSU parking, in general, is kinda off topic, so I'll just add this and move on to Crew-related stuff. I get the sense that the university really wants to push parking more and more to the periphery of campus. It's correct that it's pretty easy to get a remote pass - which isn't very pricey - and use the campus bus system to get to work. Of course, for anyone who might need to use a vehicle during the day, that wouldn't really be workable. Same issue is you have, say, a tight end of day daycare or after school care pick-up schedule. It's not as though you can just leave work 30 minutes early each day to get your car. Anyway, our household will be able to go from two "A" passes to one later this year. Can't wait. Finally, IMHO, the situation is far worse over on the med center side of campus. Pay $900 for an A pass and, since space is at such a premium (and hundreds more people now work there since the new James opened) you still end up being forced to part in the Pit. Um, anyway, Hunt Park.... I do wonder if Precourt has made a decision to upgrade our vintage home so that we're able to stay there over the long-term. Recent comments come across as being far more committed to the current facility.
I'm thinking that perhaps he's committed to seeing out the lease, but that we'll need a different (better) home after that. Allows him to really make his presence and touch felt in the community. Of course, I could be wayyyyyyy off base....
With the OSU stuff, exactly correct. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up adding more facilities over there during the next 10-15 (and more) years. I agree that it's not ideal for everyone, though. If you live east of the university, do they really want you driving past your office, only to "boomerang" back via bus? And yeah, they just made one of the garages "visitors only" after slowly removing the permit access.... Then again, it's part of the med center's "patients and visitors come first" policy. The Pit is an interesting story...it used to be staff and students...now it's mostly staff (with some faculty parking and a very, very small amount of student parking...which I'm sure is hogged by employees.) It's interesting looking at a map of campus parking. There's about two, three at most, student parking areas south of Ohio Stadium, and I'd imagine it'll get worse...then again, I'm sure the vast majority of students either walk, take a university bus, or use their student ID on a COTA bus. And I agree with crewfan about the stadium lease. I believe we have about nine years left on the contract, if the option isn't exercised. I'm not sure who has the option, though. (25 year lease with option for 25 more, IIRC.) I think Precourt wants to make the remaining time there as enjoyable as possible. If not downtown, hopefully somewhere with easy freeway access and parking not as expensive...although, with inflation, it probably *will* be $15 in future-speak.
Yeah, the lease still has quite a bit of life in it. And it's not hard to grasp the reasoning behind continued stadium upgrades at a time when we announce our first stadium naming deal. Plus, as we head into the next WC qualification cycle, it won't hurt one bit having a stadium with upgraded facilities. Maybe what it comes down to is that, put bluntly, Precourt's not as cheap as were the Hunts. Anyway, I have always understood the option to be for another 25 years. As much as I love Crew Stadium (I suppose I'll someday transition to the new name), it's hard to imagine it being our home anywhere near that long into the future. Not because of the stadium itself, more so the lease arrangement and the surrounding "neighborhood."
The team has an option to renew the lease for an additional 25 years. But Precourt's commitment is of necessity. You may remember he flew the mayor and other local bigwigs to KC for the all star game in 2013. He was hoping for something like Live Strong Park with public financing. But after the overwhelming failure of the zoo and school levies and our relatively high tax rates, he's had to reassess. Coleman is retiring after 16 years with Ginther the designated candidate of the insiders. The Arena bailout is political baggage for Ginther so I doubt there is much enthusiasm for a downtown publicly financed stadium. The state could have been an alternative source of funds but they made the improvements to keep the horse show without having to claim the area around Mapfre stadium.
After I win the lottery and buy a Ferrari, really expensive shoes, and have one of those big BBQs built in the back yard, I'll be sure to donate a hundred mill to a downtown stadium project.
What you could do is replace one stand at a time, as has been done elsewhere. Or half the stadium at a time.
Do note a new rule. No "detachable lens" cameras. No more photos for me. They also have a rule of "no video cameras", which is unenforceable as most cameras these days (not to mention phones, etc.) have video capabilities. I wonder sometimes who comes up with this stuff. The frustrating thing is that it changes all of the time. The Jackets go back and forth with it. I was stopped a few weeks ago, even though the policy clearly states it is ok and I'd brought my camera a few times to games.
I generally see the point of view of the FO on most things. I may not agree with them, but at least I se their point. But this is dumb.
So according to the "Stadium Policies" section on ColumbusCrewSC.com, it doesn't specify detachable lenses.
Confirmed that parking is $15 at fairgrounds. I was sorta hoping it was for just the VIP areas or coming in off Hudson but it's not. Last year it was $10 right? Quite a substantial single year jump, zoinks...
Yeah found it. That's odd. Why would you put it in the "Prohibited Items" section, but then NOT include it in the "Cameras/Video" section? I'd push the issue if I were you. That's dumb. For some reason I thought it was $12 last year.
I have little contact inside the organization at this time--just the ticket rep everyone has and the intern that runs the Crew Soccer Foundation now. Oh, and I still know Tucker and PhotoBass. Which is as expected. Things change and there have been a lot of changes in the organization recently.
Yeah, other than credentialed media, I'm not sure who would take a "video camera" in to a stadium. Obviously, as you said, everyone and their brother has a cell phone. I think part of the issue is that a lot of the CSC comes from out of town and arrives 2-3 hours before the doors open. I got stopped for my cowbell. I wonder how many drums got stopped. Oh...FWIW, I talked to someone about the red shirts the stadium staffers wear. The logic is that they're easier to see in the "Where's an employee?" situations.
Two questions: Are the programs still the brochure/poster style or have they gone back to a normal program? Are the pocket schedules available yet (and if so, are there also the keychain ones this season)?
Let me just say WOW on the food and beer upgrades, the cheese melt with a split hot dog was really good. The only question I have have is do they still serve Guinness?
Speaking of that...it was disappointing to see that they were using disposable cups with no taps in the stadium club. Hopefully they'll have the reusable cups back soon. I'll have to check it out when there's not an Old Farts tailgate.
1) Goose Island is gone from the west-side stations. A little bit of me has died. 2) Backpacks are now verboten in the stadium. I had to remove the blanket and sweater out of my bag and put the bag back in my car. Why do I pay money to be scolded by security like some unruly 7th grader? No notifications about the new policy, either. It's like they just make stuff up for grins. 3) Good win.