Shoppers brace yourselves, the Cherry Creek Shopping Center will officially start charging for parking next week.
Mall management announced the change in parking last summer as a way to cut down on non-customers taking up spots in its garages and surface-level lots. The organization warned shoppers of the upcoming changes Thursday in its weekly newsletter.
The new "smart parking" is intended to make it easy for customers to find spots. It starts with shoppers taking a parking ticket when entering a lot or garage. In the garages, overhead lights indicate where open spots are available, according to the mall.
Shoppers are encouraged to take their parking tickets with them and pay at one of 27 kiosks when they're leaving. The kiosks also show you where you parked if you forget.
"Smart parking will know you paid ahead so you don't have to stop at the gate," states a video explaining the new parking system.
Cherry Creek has 5,000 spots within two parking garages and another 800 spaces in surface level lots. The first hour of parking for those spaces will be free and the daily max will be $16, according to the mall.
Those who stay for two hours will be charged $3 for parking. The mall will charge an additional dollar for hour three and an additional $2 each hour after that.
Cherry Creek mall attracts about 16 million annual visitors. The roughly 3,500 people who work within the shopping center won’t be expected to pay for parking, the mall previously said in a statement.
Fees are expected to be waived for the Cherry Creek Fresh Markets, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Cherry Creek Sneak and other community events.
Business & data reporter Adrian D. Garcia can be reached via email at [email protected] or twitter.com/adriandgarcia.
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