Hagerstown staff report low early use of new Hub City garage; propose game‑night flat fees to speed egress

City parking staff reported seven months of operations for the new Hub City garage and described occupancy, revenue and equipment issues while proposing operational adjustments for game nights at Meredith Park.

Parking supervisor Eric Dyke (presenting) summarized recent changes adopted on July 1, 2024: hourly deck rates rose to $2 per hour, meter rates increased, and monthly permit pricing was adjusted across the garages. The Hub City garage opened in August and holds 398 cars; Dyke said the facility’s average occupancy has been low since opening, "on an average day, most of the time, the occupancy rate in there is about 10 to 15% — there's 50 cars or less using that garage on a regular basis." He said the garage has had higher occupancy on ballpark game nights and that equipment and gate software issues are being addressed.

Debt and revenue: Dyke explained the garage was largely bond financed (about $10.6 million in bonds for the new garage) and that annual debt service is roughly $750,000. Revenues generated so far from the hub garage were described as under $100,000 in the first seven months; staff said the parking enterprise fund will run in the red for the next several years while debt service is paid.

Game‑night operations: because patrons reported long exit times after games, staff proposed a game‑day flat rate to speed egress: collect a set fee at entry or exit on game nights and open alternate exits so cars can leave via the alley rather than through ramp bottlenecks. Council members tentatively supported creating a discounted flat rate at the University Deck to incentivize use away from core downtown garages and a flat event rate at the Hub City garage; council directed staff to prepare a draft resolution and rate language for formal consideration and noted a special session could be scheduled before the upcoming game season if necessary.

Meters and payment options: staff noted meter cash thefts earlier in the year and discussed kiosk and pay‑by‑phone options. Installing credit‑card kiosks across multiple meter locations would require a capital investment (estimated in the tens of thousands per kiosk), plus ongoing fees; staff said they would evaluate options that reduce cash handling and improve convenience for hourly users.

Next steps: staff will prepare language to establish game‑night flat rates (staff suggested $10 at Hub City and a lower discounted rate at University Deck, with council discussion about exact amounts) and return with a formal proposal for council action.