Heavy rains mean no parking for 1,500 vehicles at Ann Arbor Golf and Outing for Notre Dame game
As many as 1,500 people hoping to park at the Ann Arbor Golf and Outing Club will have to find another place to tailgate for Saturday's Michigan football game.
Due to heavy rains, the golf course located across from Michigan Stadium cannot be used for public parking, said Brian Stange, AAGO's general manager.
Ann Arbor Golf and Outing is a prime tailgating spot for Michigan football games.
File photo
Game day parking is a major revenue generator for AAGO, a small private club with 9-hole golf course located on 38 acres just south of the football stadium. At $40 a vehicle, the absence of 1,500 spaces for Saturday's Notre Dame game translates into roughly $60,000 in lost revenue.
"We're worried about the lost revenue, but it beats the alternative," Eiler said, explaining that members worry vehicles would muddy up the hilly course. "If you park and ruin the course, it's going to cost $25,000 to $35,000 to fix it."
Eiler said there still will be limited parking for about 300 to 350 AAGO members, Park n'Party participants and season pass holders for Saturday's game, but not public parking.
The club normally can accommodate up to 1,800 vehicles on its property.
An employee at the University of Michigan Golf Course said he's fielded hundreds of calls asking if the university's course will be open for tailgating on Saturday.
He said a decision won't be made until morning but it will be announced over several radio stations.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
Now Hear This
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 1:53 p.m.
There is a lot of free side street parking in neighborhoods close to Stadium and Packard. Marlborough Dr is a dead end that you can walk and cut through to S Industrial and it a 25 min walk to stadium. It's worth driving around and looking.
drewk
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 1:39 p.m.
I hear the park n rides at the expressway have lots of open spaces.
Philip Santini
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.
Here's the scoop on parking from the MGoBLue website--- RAIN CAUSES PARKING LOT CLOSURES, POLICY MODIFICATIONS Rain has caused some parking closures and policy modifications for the "Under the Lights" game Saturday (Sept. 10) vs. Notre Dame. The primary parking areas at the U-M Golf Course (entrances off State Street and Main Street) will be closed, and the grass areas at Pioneer High School (Purple Lot) will be closed. The Green Lot at the U-M Golf Course (entrance off Stadium Blvd.) will be permit only (no cash sales), and Ann Arbor Golf & Outing Club will be accepting members and season passes only (no cash sales).
Ricardo Queso
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 1:53 p.m.
Glad the U sprung for the additional traffic control ...
4 Fingers
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 10:30 a.m.
Was I correct in hearing some of the residents in Almendinger Park aren't going to allow parking on their property in protest of a night game??
Swimmer
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 1:23 a.m.
Rumor is no parking on U of M golf course either -already decided despite their "morning decision/announcement" comment Barb, you might want to double/triple your rates....
yourdad
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 1:17 a.m.
Wow, my buddies comment gets deleted because it is nothing but laughing? Hey Ryan, maybe some local taxpayers are so sick and tired of the nuisance that surrounds these games that it amuses them when the walmart wolverines are displaced... just sayin'
Ricebrnr
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 1:07 a.m.
people are gonna have to walk a long way at night ay? can't wait to see the crime reports after...
Alfie
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 10:36 p.m.
Wow, the first night game, Main Street closed AND an extra 1,500 cars roamining the are looking for a place to park, it will be one crazy day. I hope the Towing companies are ready for some real action. Two miles away, but maybe I can actually park cars. First come , first served!
Tom Joad
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.
Ever try to cross Main St on Football Saturday? The timing of the traffic lights makes pedestrians wait 10 minutes to cross. I'm just tickled pink that there won't be any place for them to park...perhaps there will be a stoppage of traffic and I can jaywalk Main.
treetowncartel
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 9:01 p.m.
Man, where will the smokers go to tailgate now.
Tom Teague
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 8:40 p.m.
That same business professor might also ask you to factor in the cost of operating the parking lot on game day (that comes off the top of the $60K), contingency and risk in case the higher figure of $35K isn't really accurate, increased labor costs for personnel who will be asked to repair the course in one week, opportunity cost while those workers aren't doing the things that they normally do, the amount of lost revenue from any subsequent home games for which the course had to be closed to repair the damage, and revenue lost in green fees while the course is closed for repair. And, if you couldn't really figure all that in advance, that professor might say "Then why risk it?"
Tom Teague
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 11:17 p.m.
According to a post above, I stand corrected on the green fees. So the dollar-figure-only business case for absolutely ruining the golf course just got marginally better.
Barb
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 8:36 p.m.
Come park on my lawn!
smokeblwr
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 8:21 p.m.
Uhhhhh....any business perfesser would tell you to take the $60,000 in parking revenue and then fix the damage done later if it really only costs $25K. I can't imagine the course would be out of commission for too long and would lose $35K in lost greens fees.
a2roots
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.
If you are so smart why haven't you figured in the regular overhead costs. Bottom line if cars are parked, there is no income due to overhead and repairs. Also it is a private members only course that does not charge greens fees.
Fordie
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 8:34 p.m.
Having worked at a golf course, I can tell you that the damage to the course wouldn't necessarily take it out of commission, but it would be long lasting. The grass is so short that it is very easily killed and to be fully restored has to grow in very thick. The course I used to work at (other side of the state) had tire tracks from an ATV on a muddy day in the middle of a fairway that lasted a year and a half.