LITTLE ROCK — Idon’t know who planned the new Fayetteville parking regulations but I’m sure they meant well. I have an idea it’s someone from out of town who knew he or she wouldn’t be paying $5 to park while having dinner or a drink on Dickson Street.
I’m all for plunking a quarter into a meter. That’s fine. But walking two blocks to a pay machine and sliding in your credit card to pay $3 to $5 is a whole different deal. That $2 cup of coffee where I go to read the paper just turned into a $5 cup of coffee. I can get coffee at McDonalds for 50 cents, park free and read the paper too.
The creator of the Entertainment District parking plan cleverly created 12 different parking categories: city gated, city deck, city meter, city pay, city free, and city reserved, just to name a half dozen.
Whomever it was decided upon 16 pay machines at a cost of $15,000 each. (You do the math.) I am told the city took in $72,000 in July in parking fees which will go toward paying for the parking program itself and a future parking deck for the area. That soundsgood, but it won’t make up for the loss in sales tax.
A recent report disclosed that Fayetteville is 4.5 percent down from a year ago.
Merchants around Dickson Street reported a dramatic downturn in business since the beginning of the parking plan. Business owners Neal Crawford of Jose’s, Joe Fennell of Bordino’s and Julie Sills of Common Grounds and Hog Haus report a 40 percent downturn in sales and, therefore, sales tax to the city treasury.
People are staying away from Dickson St. in droves.
The economy is bad enough for the average citizen. And, to be honest, the cost of drinks and food on Dickson Street have steadily climbed over the years to New York level prices. I recall being at the Algonquin Hotel in New York 20 years ago andordered a gin and tonic. I was astounded that it cost $6.50. A cocktail on Dickson Street used to be $4.50. Over the last few years a single drink has edged upward to $7.50 or more at some of the most popular restaurants. A special martini can be as high as $10. Gail and I love to go to Dickson Street on Friday night for a drink or two to see and be seen. Add the cost and bother of parking and a tip and your tab for “a drink” can be considerable for retired guys like me. On the other hand we can go to the Cherokee Casino and get a free room, a free meal, park for free, drinks are $2.50 and I can high roll on the penny slots to my heart’s content.
Why not?
The Walton Arts Center lot is probably the biggest disaster of the whole illconceived plan. Last week, after Blue Man Group performed at WAC, 200 or so cars attempted to leave the gated parking lot at the same time. The lot is in the “City Gated-pay as you exit” category. Eyewitnesses say there was a long line of pedestrians at the canopy where you can pay with cash or coins. A woman attempted to insert quarters, dimes and nickels into the pay machine.
Her cost of $5 meant at least 20 or more coins in the slot that requires a five-step routine. She was short 15 cents and borrowed it from the person waiting behind her. It took nearly two hours for the last few cars to leave the lot. Gates at the car exits require a four step routine: 1. Insert ticket.
2. Insert validation coupon (I’m not sure what that is).
3. Insert debit/credit card whereby you are charged $5.
4. Take your credit card and the gate goes up.
Oh, have you heard about City Ordinance No.
7564? It’s a proposal by a Baptist council person and it’s called the “Two Drink Maximum Law.” For health reasons each customer will be limited to two drinks per visit to Dickson Street. A tiny transistor will be placed in each drink and swallowed by the drinkee. If he or she swallows three drinks analarm goes off at the Police Station. “All points bulletin, a citizen has consumed three drinks at Bordino’s. Arrest and book’em Dano!!”
Okay, yuk-yuk, I just made up that last part.
GRADY JIM ROBINSON IS A RETIRED PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER AND FREELANCE COLUMNIST.
Opinion, Pages 7 on 09/26/2010