When the original Arena Management docs were signed and recorded in November, 2002 I made sure to keep them. After all, one did not know if and when they would come in handy for reference or review.

Part of the RSE deal is rumored to include a parking fee. Did you know that you already pay a parking fee and a base recovery fee? If you look at the fine print on your ticket it says, “Included in the face value of this Ticket is a $2.80 City Parking Fee, a $1.55 Base Recovery Fee, and other fees when applicable. Fees are subject to change without notice.”

The original 2002 Arena Management docs had established these fees for the city and currently every ticket purchaser pays a total of $4.35 in fees. Under Article 7. Arena Accounts. Section 7.7 City Parking Fee Account it states the following: “The Arena Manager shall, prior to the Operations Start Date, establish and maintain (for the benefit of the City) one or more trust accounts (requiring the signature of only the City for withdrawals) at a federally-insured institution(s) having offices in the State of Arizona for the deposit and disbursement of City Parking Fees ( the “City Parking Fee Account”), and shall make deposits into the City Parking Fee Account as required by Section 8.1. Interest earned on amounts held in the City Parking Fee Account shall not be Operating Revenues and shall be the property of the City. The City may make withdrawals from the City Parking Fee Account at any time and from time to time in the City’s sole discretion.”

Article 7. Arena Accounts. Section 7.8 Arena Recovery Fee Account is also established.

In Article 8. Parking: Arena Recovery Fees. Section 8.1.2 (e) states in part, “The City Parking Fee shall be in the amount of Two Dollars and Forty-Five Cents ($2.45) per Qualified Ticket with respect to each Fee Activity (for which the City has not waived the City Parking Fee) That occurs during the Fiscal Year in which the Operations Start Date occurs or the first full Fiscal Year thereafter, and shall be increased by Five Cents ($0.05) for each and every Fiscal Year thereafter, beginning with the second full Fiscal Year after the Fiscal Year in which the Operations Start Date occurs, $2.55 during the third full Fiscal Year after the Fiscal Year in which the Operations Start Date occurs, and so forth).”

Article 8. Parking: Arena Recovery Fees. Section 8.2.(d) states in part, “The Base Recovery Fee shall be in the following amounts:

(i)                  For the first sixty (60) months after the Operations Start Date, $1.00 per Qualified Ticket;

(ii)                For the 61st through 120th months after the Operations Start Date, $1.50 per Qualified Ticket; and

(iii)              Commencing with the 121st month after the Operations Start Date and continuing for each month thereafter until the last month of the 30th Full Hockey Season after the Home Game Obligation Effective Date, $2.00 per Qualified Ticket.”

Until I left office on January 15, 2013 neither I or the rest of council were ever told by staff that the city is no longer collecting those fees. To the best of my knowledge ticket holders are paying $4.35 in fees on tickets. Just thought you’d like to know the facts.

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