http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Days-of-free-parking-in-Fort-Worths-cultural-district-end-this-weekend-92247694.htmlFORT WORTH - For years, the cultural district of Fort Worth has been a huge draw for families.
The Omni IMAX Theater was the first of its kind. The City of Fort Worth: Museum of Science & History and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame are just a few of the many highlights calling the cultural district home.
But this weekend, a first ever for the schools and families that visit there.
For decades, anyone going to that part of the city could park, lock their car, and leave it without doing anything.
That officially changes on Saturday - the days of free parking are over.
Fort Worth built a $27-million parking garage,
and now it has to pay for it.Rather than ask the entire city to chip in, the city council decided on making visitors pay $5 to park in the cultural district.
Parking will cost $5 for most of the city-owned lots in Fort Worth's cultural district.
The Amon Carter Museum is worried. It only has 46 spaces of its own.
It relies on the city's free parking and free admission to draw in new visitors who are just beginning to appreciate world-class art.
"Free is a big deal to them. So to add the parking fee on top of that, it makes it a little more of an inconvenience for them to come," said a representative.
The Museum of Science & History says it's in constant negotiations with the city.
It has already made arrangements for employee and volunteer parking, and it might work out a deal for memberships, that include parking fees.
"I think it will be after the parking charge goes into effect that we'll begin to have more interaction with guests about it," a representative said.
Exhibits and expos already pay to rent rooms and halls. They're bracing for the worst.
The man in charge of the Birds and Pets show said if $5 parking scares away his customers, he may not return to Fort Worth.
"I've got to make money on this one in order to afford to do another one, and if that don't happen, then I can't come back," he said.
The city says it has already heard the complaints but it will wait a year before it reviews the fees to decide if $5 is too much for a parking spot.
