New Parking Initiative in Downtown Austin Offers $5 Flat Rate for Musicians

Austin’s downtown musicians can now benefit from a new parking initiative designed to alleviate the expenses tied to transporting equipment. Metropolis Technologies, a prominent parking operator in the U.S., is introducing its Park & Play program in Austin, which will grant parking discounts at selected venues. Starting November 2, the program features a fixed rate of $5 for parking while performing. At its launch, four venues will participate:
– Alto – 924 E 7th Street, Austin, TX, 78702
– Lavaca Plaza – 504 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX, 78701
– Frost Bank Tower – 171 E 4th Street, Austin, TX, 78701
– Hotel Indigo Austin – 505 Ash St., Austin, TX, 78701 (only for select music venues)

Musicians will need to use a QR code provided by participating venues to confirm their status. These venues include:
– Antone’s
– Barbarella
– Cheer Up Charlies
– Elephant Room
– Flamingo Cantina
– Hotel Vegas
– Kingdom Nightclub
– Mohawk
– Nica on 4th
– Parker Jazz Club
– Swan Dive
– 13th Floor
– Regular

In comparison, standard on-street parking is often available at a similar rate of $2 per hour for the first two hours, plus a $0.50 card fee, with increasing rates thereafter. While Austin already has an affordable parking option for entertainment employees, it involves monthly fees and an application process.

Kevin Russell, frontman of local band Shinyribs, mentioned in a press release, “Parking is available for the employees of some of Austin’s most popular tourist attractions, including the Texas Capitol, Zilker Park, and Barton Springs. Even the bats under the Ann Richards Bridge get free ‘parking’. It only stands to reason that Austin’s musicians should have access to affordable parking downtown as well.”

Initially launched in Nashville, Austin becomes the second city to implement the Park & Play program, which reportedly saved Nashville musicians nearly $1 million on parking in just one year and is now operating in 25 facilities there. The local rollout was shaped by a coalition of Austin organizations including the City of Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME), the Austin Federation of Musicians (AFM), Austin Texas Musicians (ATXM), Music Venue Alliance Austin, and the Red River Cultural District.

Benjamin Triesch, a musician and secretary-treasurer of AFM Local 433, stated, “Parking is one of those costs that doesn’t show up until you add up a month of it. I know musicians who turn down gigs because after parking, the night wasn’t worth playing. Cutting that cost means more musicians can say yes to the work.”