KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rumors are circulating that parking for the Big XII Men’s Basketball Tournament could cost as much as $50. There were reports of hoops fans paying that much a year ago.
Most major events held at the Sprint Center usually cost up to $20 for parking. As of right now, an official price list has not been released but Mike Hurd, Marketing Director of Downtown Council of Kansas City says finding a space to park shouldn’t be an issue.
“We have more than 22,000 parking places, garages and surface lots and metered parking on the streets,” said Hurd.
The big question remains, how much will it cost to park?
“The pricing per location really does vary, so we encourage to bring a credit card, bring some cash and make sure you don’t get surprised by parking,” said Hurd.
Before the tournament even begins, streets near the Sprint Center and the Power and Light District will be closed. Starting Monday March 11th at 10AM Grand Boulevard between 13th Street and Truman Road will be closed through midnight on Sunday, March 17th. Fourteenth s=Street between Walnut Street and Grand Boulevard will also be closed for that period. On Tuesday March 12th, Walnut Street, between 13th and 14th streets will be closed until Sunday March 17th.
In addition to that, Kansas City’s Inaugural Big 12 5K Fun Run and Family Stroll will close the following streets on Saturday, March 16, starting at 9 a.m. and lasting until the conclusion of the race (roughly 10:30 a.m.):
- Grand Boulevard (between Truman and Pershing roads)
- 16th Street (between Broadway Street and Grand Boulevard)
- Broadway Street (between 17th and 16th streets)
- 17th Street (between Broadway Street and Baltimore Avenue)
- Baltimore Avenue (between 17th Street and Southwest Boulevard)
- Southwest Boulevard (between Broadway Street and Baltimore Avenue)
- W. Pennway Street (between Southwest Boulevard and Pershing Road)
- Pershing Road (between W. Pennway Street and Grand Boulevard)
Rick Hughes, President of the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association says having that much pedestrian traffic will be great for the city.
“It’s a perfect blend with the street closings and all the shops and the convenient parking, and now with all the snow out the system it’s lining up to be a perfect month,” said Hughes.
Hughes adds that a basketball filled month will bring in an estimated $22.9 million dollars for the city.
For more on street closures and the Big XII Tournament
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