ST. LOUIS – Several Cardinals fans found themselves with parking tickets after paying $40 for what they thought was a legal parking lot on Opening Day.
Fans were charged $40 to park in an empty field of grass off of S. Broadway and Chouteau Avenue. Upon returning to their vehicles, they realized they were scammed, as a ticket from the City of St. Louis sat on their cars.
Patrick McGlynn, the owner of Shamrock Pub, located directly across from where the parking scam took place, told FOX 2 he’s seen this before.
“This has been going on for years. It’s the oldest trick in the book. Just grab a vest and a flag and you’re in business as long as you don’t get caught,” McGlynn said.
Cardinals fans said off camera that they love how the city is growing downtown, but they are not adding more parking to go with it.
The grass area where fans parked is considered state property and maintained by MoDOT. St. Louis City Treasurer Adam Layne says there’s a city ordinance that prohibits parking on these “unimproved land” areas.
Layne sent the following statement to FOX 2:
“It’s unfortunate for those who were looking to enjoy Cardinals Opening Day were taken advantage of by parking scammers. We’re happy to have the support of fans and want fans to enjoy their complete experience, from parking to the ballpark. I will be voiding all the tickets for those who were targeted on Opening Day last Thursday. Those who received tickets do not need to take further action. I encourage all parkers to do their due diligence in making sure you’re using verified parking when attending events across the city.”
McGlynn is pleased with the treasurer’s choice.
“That’s a nice gesture for the City of St. Louis. You know people don’t deserve to lose their hard-earned money and get scammed out of it,” he said.
An investigation into the incident is still underway, according to the city’s Public Safety Department.
