Local

Uptown parking jumps from $5 to $40 for Panthers game

Fans won’t have to fend off rain Friday night for the Panthers first preseason game, but will have to fight the traffic and the parking.

Tailgaters filled the parking lots around Bank of America Stadium Friday evening.

It seems the plan to move the Charlotte Knights game from an evening game to a day game helped alleviate traffic, but parking is still an issue.

At premium parking spots near Bank of America Stadium and around BB&T Ballpark parking spots jumped from $5 for the Knights game to as much as $40 for the Panthers game.

And it’s only preseason.

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But parking attendants said they won't have any trouble filling these spaces.

“How many people do you think are going to pay $35 to park in this lot?” Channel 9 reporter Eric Philips asked.

“Actually I believe I’ll have a full lot before 7. It’s pretty steep but people pay that much. It’s the most exciting time of the year,” said parking attendant Veronica Garmon.

Channel 9 saw some empty spaces, but they most likely will be full by game time.