Parking Fee At RIP Hewes Stadium?

The next time you watch Dothan take on Northview at RIP Hewes Stadium it may cost you little more. The Dothan's Athletic Club wants you to pay for parking. The athletic club director Terry Stansell wrote a letter to the city asking to charge a $3 parking fee for Dothan and Northview home games."There's not a lot of funding for the sports in our city and last year we visited teams in Baldwin County and noticed all those teams were charging a $4 dollar fee for parking, We're continually trying to raise money for our student athletes and we think it's a far way to raise funds for our booster club that supports our student athletes. The booster club helps those sports that don't get a gate like volley ball and softball," said Stansell.

For a Friday night football game it will cost you $10 dollars; $7 for your ticket and $3 for the parking. $1 would go back to the city. "For exchange of that one dollar we're looking at asking the city to block off four of the seven entrances to get in the stadium," continued Stansell.  

City Manager Mike West said the athletics' club request is unique since the city doesn't charge for parking at any of its events. "I can understand their desire to have additional funds to support the activities, but the major concern is will you push people off into the neighborhood and how the neighborhood would react." 

If the city signs off on the Athletic Club's recommendation, both Northview and Dothan High Schools could raise nearly $7,500 a football season.