If you plan on going to Super Bowl LVI in LA, I suggest taking public transit, rideshare, bike, etc. Do whatever you can to avoid driving. If you drive, you’re going to have to park, and to park you’re going to have to pay as much as a nice hotel room for a space. In some cases, you’ll be paying as much as a beater off Craigslist for a spot, as the LA Times reports parking prices will be out of control.
People are planning on parking spaces to be in limited supply at SoFi stadium. The stadium’s normal capacity is usually around 70,000. But with expanded capacity reaching as high as 100,000, it’s safe to say parking is going to be scarce. This is going to have the unfortunate side effect of leaving thousands of people looking elsewhere to park. And people and businesses willing to make a quick buck are ready.
SpotHero, an online marketplace I didn’t know existed for selling parking spots, says the average price of parking within two miles of the stadium is $250. Parking at existing business is going to be more. The nearby Hollywood Park Casino has spaces starting at $300 with some going as high as $1,000. If you want parking right at the stadium, pricing is ridiculous.
One lot that looks to be right across the street for the stadium has spots going for $4,000. Even local residents are trying to cash in, with many selling spots in their driveways or in front of their homes. From the Times:
Hugo Vincent lives a mile from the stadium, and he’s already sold a spot in his driveway for $200. As part of the arrangement, he agreed to drive the person to SoFi on game day.
“This place is a prison on Sundays. I can’t leave my own neighborhood because the traffic is so bad,” he said. “Why shouldn’t I be able to make some money for the inconvenience?”
Some residents have been selling spots all season long, with the Super Bowl being just another opportunity to make some money.
Residents have felt the squeeze since the stadium was built, with the opening of the stadium coinciding with a rise in rent prices, culminating in illegal parking operations for people trying to make some extra money.
This isn’t the first time parking prices have gotten out of control in the area. Before the SoFi stadium was built and the Chargers and Rams were playing at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the same thing was going on. Spots were going for hundreds of dollars at businesses and at people’s homes.