Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 9, 2005

Parking Fees To Increase at the Largo Town Center, Morgan Boulevard Metrorail Stations During Events At FedEx Field for Non-Metrorail Riders

Cars that park at the Morgan Boulevard and Largo Town Center Metrorail stations to attend special designated events at FedEx Field have to pay $25 to do so, the Metro Board Budget Committee today recommended.

But Metro customers who park and then ride Metrorail will only have to pay the regular parking fee of $3.50 during the week and nothing on the weekends if they use a SmarTrip card to travel on the rails and then use the same card to pay to park.

Final approval of this procedure is expected at the full Metro Board Meeting on Thursday, June 16.

During events at FedEx Field, such as Washington Redskins football games, people can park without charge on weekends in Metro parking lots. Patrons attending events at FedEx field are charged $25 to park at the stadium and facilities adjacent to the stadium.

Metro’s premium parking program would require patrons who park at the Morgan Boulevard or Largo Town Center Metrorail stations during events at FedEx Field to use a SmarTrip card to exit during events because the SmarTrip card allows Metro to charge rail customers using the station for transit, to park and pay the regular parking rate (on weekdays) or no rate (on weekends). Non-Metrorail riders would be charged a $25 premium parking fee at each of these facilities. The non-Metrorail rider fee would be in place three hours prior to event time and remain in effect until two hours after the event. This fee would ensure that a premium market-based parking fee would be charged to patrons attending these events.

Charging a market-based parking fee at these stations will also generate revenue that will assist on off-setting the operational costs incurred by Metro in security and cleaning of these stations. Metro projects to collect an additional $160,500 in revenue based on 10 football games at FedEX Field.

Pending Board approval, the premium parking plan would take effect on Friday, August 19, the date of the first Redskins exhibition game.

News release issued on June 9, 2005.