Lions vs. Commanders parking: $999 rate was mistake, judge rules; lots now reopen

• • 
    A $999 parking rate for Saturday’s Lions vs. Commanders game at Ford Field was a mistake, according to Park-Rite.
    
  • 
    The employee who posts parking prices said a placeholder he uses on the backend was inadvertently published on SpotHero.
    
  • 
    Judge David Allen ordered the lots to reopen.
    

• 
  A $999 parking rate for Saturday’s Lions vs. Commanders game at Ford Field was a mistake, according to Park-Rite.
  
• 
  The employee who posts parking prices said a placeholder he uses on the backend was inadvertently published on SpotHero.
  
• 
  Judge David Allen ordered the lots to reopen.
  

DETROIT (FOX 2):A judge decided on Friday that the exorbitant parking fee for Saturday’s Lions vs. Commanders game was an error.

Following an emergency hearing that was prompted by the city closing the three Park-Rite-managed lots, the lots are now available again.

The backstory

The city claims that early this week, places were listed for $999 on SpotHero, a third-party website that lets users book parking spaces. Park-Rite is permitted to charge up to $150 per spot in accordance with the fee schedule that is on file with the city.

Jason Harrison, a city lawyer, stated, “It seems like they’re acknowledging that a rate was published, but it was incorrect.”

Michael Vogt, Park-Rite’s attorney, said the high cost was unintentionally revealed. Miquel Nouhan, Park-Rite’s e-commerce manager, reportedly uses “999” as a stand-in when lots are sold out, according to Vogt.

“That was my own internal code to tell me that that event is sold out and off the board,” Nouhan explained.

Vogt and Nouhan said the placeholder value was made public as a parking spot pricing due to a modification made to SpotHero’s website.

Nouhan claimed that he contacted his representative with SpotHero to have the problem fixed after finding places being marketed on the website.

The pricing has subsequently been taken off from SpotHero, and no one was billed for it.

According to Judge David Allen, he can see why the city would want to pursue a business that charges $999 for parking spaces. He did, however, concur that the price was incorrect and mandate that the lots be reopened.

What they’re saying:

The director of Detroit’s Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department issued a statement following the hearing on Friday.

“Today, we accomplished what we set out to do, which is to make sure parking lot owners are charging only the rates they are allowed and not trying to gouge customers,” said David Bell. “Our proactive actions have informed all parking lot owners that we are keeping an eye on things, even though the judge rejected the closures we had asked for. This serves as a crucial reminder to all parking lot operators to abide by the regulations and to let lot users know that the city is actively striving to keep them safe.

Based on the figures:

When there are major events downtown, parking costs always soar, but not to the extent that they are for this weekend’s football game.

The lots closest to Comerica Park cost between $50 and $80 before the games last year when the Detroit Tigers were in the playoffs. Lots that needed some walking cost between $10 and $20.

Parking lots near Ford Field currently cost between $100 and $150, according to a website that lets cars reserve spaces in advance. Other downtown locations are less than $100, although they are still expensive, typically costing between $50 and $90.

If you don’t mind getting your steps in, you can get places for as little as $15. Walking will get you closer to $25.

Going to the game? Take the bus instead of parking.

Even though sticker shock may have set in at the end of the season after the Lions defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the final game to secure the NFC North division, the price has continued to rise.