By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 14, 2020 | Before the Gwinnett Civic Center was built (now known as the Infinite Energy Center) off Sugarloaf Parkway and Satellite Boulevard, across from the new building was a former corn field, which was the original parking lot.
The Civic Center was completed in 1992. County officials opened the Center with what often happens at such events. It was a traditional fireworks show. But there was a problem. The fireworks were scheduled during the daytime.
Yep, Boom! Boom! Boom! The fireworks show went on as scheduled. But, since it was taking place during daylight, no one saw any flashes of lights! Even today, some 27 years later, no one has admitted to the lame-brain idea of having a daytime fireworks show!
The first big event at the Civic Center was during the 1992 Christmas season, a “Festival of Trees.” In general, it went smoothly, again except for one thing: people did not cotton to the idea of paying $3 for parking in that former corn field adjacent to a suburban forest. We remember their saying: “We don’t mind paying for parking in downtown Atlanta, but in suburban Gwinnett, $3 for us to park in a corn field?”
Civic officials heard this complaint. They took the step to continue to charge for parking. After all, parking fees had been built in into the budget for the center. But that parking fee was now included up front, when you bought a ticket to an event at the civic center. And up until recently, the ground-level parking lot in front of the civic center appeared free to all for parking, though you never recognized the fee was built into the ticket price of the event you attended.
This comes to mind after the gigantic, 3,250 vehicle car parking decks in front of the current civic center have been opened. Now when you go to an event there, such as the recent State of the County address, you have to pay for parking. After all, keeping traffic flowing smoothly before and after an event takes lots of manpower.
But the Infinite Energy Forum (it’s the official name of the Civic Center) has made it easier for those attending events. Now you can buy your parking ticket in advance, to make exiting the Center easier. With buying parking in advance, it makes the traffic flow faster.
We filled out a form online, and were able to pay with a credit card the $3 parking fee. If we had waited and paid in cash at the parking deck, the charge would have been $5. So paying for parking online was cheaper and easier. But sometimes it seems people in front of you pay cash for parking, and often have to root around for their money, slowing the exiting.
The first parking garage at the Gwinnett Arena came about in 2007, with the parking deck leading directly into the Arena, with 900 spaces. Altogether, there are over 5000 parking spaces at the Civic Center area, counting 500 spaces behind the buildings for people who work at the Center, and for the touring companies.
Increased activity at the Civic Center site now involved three major contracting firms working on major improvements at the Center. More on that later.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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