It’s almost professional baseball time in Tennessee. The Knoxville Smokies will see the first ball of the season and the first ever in their new stadium tossed in just under five short weeks. Rampant baseball fever has swept the downtown area and far beyond. It feels like a new era in downtown Knoxville development.
We’re starting to learn more about the fun and the details, as last week saw a promotional schedule released and this week, we’ve been given more details about that ever-green topic: Parking. Hopefully the promotions catch your eye and the parking explanation dissipates some of the angst surrounding that topic.
As for the promotions and giveaways, I won’t go through them all, as you can read them on the chart above, but I’ll say it does look like there will be a lot of fun to be had that goes beyond baseball. You’ll find twelve “giveaway dates, twenty-seven fireworks shows, and more.
And tickets? Individual game tickets for home games hit the market next week, March 19, at 9:00 amwill be on sale beginning March 19 at 9:00 am. You can snag them online at smokiesbaseball.com or by phone at (865) 286-2300.
The team has big plans for the first week as the Smokies face the Chattanooga Lookouts and all five opening week games will end in a fireworks display. First game festivities begin in the plaza at 4:30 on April 15, with doors opening to the stadium at 5:30. Totebags and a commemorative ticket will go to all ticketed fans and first pitch is at 7:30 pm. The festivities continue through the week with such things as a jersey giveaway to the first 2,000 fans on April 18 and an Easter Egg hunt on Sunday on the field with 20,000 eggs for the kids.
And on it goes. You can read the details of each of the giveaways and promotions here. Promises of even more promotions have been made. Sounds like some sort of fun for everyone. Maybe baseball is just the loss leader for the other games.
Parking
So, your worst fears were not realized: We did not go into our first baseball season without any thought regarding parking. Boyd Sports, along with the city and county, came up with some helpful suggestions along with a bit of shuttle infrastructure to make game (or other event) day less problematic for parkers. Included in the mix are “1,500 dedicated parking spaces, which includes 1,100 for the general public and 400 for staff, vendors, and season ticket holders.” Also included is a free KAT shuttle from designated garages featuring 5 minute rides to and from the stadium.
Reserved parking in the dedicated spaces will be offered for $5 in advance on the Smokies website. From the press release:
Urban planning models recommend one parking space for every 2.5 attendees at an event. With a capacity of roughly 7,000, a sellout event at Covenant Health Park would necessitate 2,800 parking spaces. Between the 1,500 dedicated parking spaces for Covenant Health Park and the nearly 7,400 additional available parking options surrounding the facility, there are nearly 9,000 area spaces identified.
Here’s the parking they are encouraging (though you can park anywhere downtown and take a ten minute stroll to the game):
- Summer Place Garage will have 450 reserved, dedicated parking spaces available for a flat, prepaid $5 fee.
- Free shuttle service running every 10 minutes
- 0.7-mile walk
- Langley Garage will have 650 reserved, dedicated parking spaces available for a flat, prepaid $5 fee.
- Free shuttle service running every 10 minutes
- 0.7-mile walk
- In addition, there are nearly 7,400 affordable or free parking spaces, within about eight-tenths of a mile or closer to the stadium, at publicly owned garages, surface lots and on-street facilities. Parking at standard rates is available within a 10- to 20-minute walk from:
- Market Square Garage (free shuttle service running every 10 minutes)
- Locust Street Garage (free shuttle service running every 10 minutes)
- State Street Garage
- Jackson Avenue Lot
- Dwight Kessel Parking Garage
- On-street parking spots
- And via free parking at the West Magnolia Avenue Parking Lots
- Old City South Lot B, which is located directly across the street from Covenant Health Park, will have 70 reserved ADA-accessible spaces. These are free of charge for vehicles with valid disability license plates, placards and/or decals.
- Of note, all publicly owned parking garages and lots also have free ADA-accessible spaces, and all stadium shuttle buses are ADA-accessible.
- Designated drop-off/pick-up points will be available for ADA guests along Willow Avenue, at the southwest corner of the stadium, and for rideshare customers along Florida Avenue at the east side of the stadium.
- Bicycle and micro-mobility scooter parking will be available in Old City South Lot A.
Additional parking for Covenant Health Park employees and Knoxville Smokies permit-parking will be available in Old City South Lot A, the Old City North Lot and the Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum Parking Garage. Use of these spots will not be open to the general public but will help alleviate use of existing parking spots frequented by downtown workers, visitors and others.
Boyd Sports and the Knoxville Smokies will continue to roll out details for Covenant Health Park visitors via its website at www.smokiesbaseball.com and social media. This will include driving directions, parking information and more.
There may be a learning curve, but we can do this! Once we settle in to our parking spots, it’s time to PLAY BALL!