The Milwaukee Brewers have a brand new parking payment system. Here's how to use it.
American Family Field is introducing a new, QR code-based parking payment system for Milwaukee Brewers game days this season.
The system, which relies on license plate recognition technology, is a partnership between the Brewers and the Milwaukee-based Interstate Parking Company, which developed the technology, an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The new parking system is integrated with the MLB Ballpark app. Fans can purchase parking in advance and activate it at the ballpark, or they can purchase day-of parking using a QR code in the parking lots.
Close to 100 parking ambassadors will be available to assist, but there will no longer be cashiers or scanners. Fans should let ambassadors know whether they'd like Preferred, Gold or General parking, and then an ambassador will direct them to the correct lot.
The new system is designed to accelerate the game day parking process because fans no longer have to wait in line to pay or receive a parking pass. In the past, especially on sold-out game days, fans often had to wait 30 to 45 minutes, said Tony Janowiec, president and CEO of Interstate Parking. Now, traffic will simply flow into the lots.
"The back-ups on the roads are not enjoyable for anyone ... ," said Brewers Executive Vice President - Chief Commercial Officer Jason Hartlund. "The quicker you can get in the lots, the quicker you can tailgate, the quicker you can get to the ballpark."
The Brewers and American Family Field are the first MLB team and the first venue of this size to implement this technology to such a scale.
Here's how the new parking system works.
How to use day-of parking at American Family Field
Here's how to park at American Family Field on Brewers game days without paying in advance:
Drive into your desired parking lot, and follow the parking ambassadors' instructions.
Scan the QR code on the nearest light pole.
Select "Purchase Parking" in the app.
Activate your parking by entering your license plate number, mobile phone number and agreeing to terms.
Pay using Apple Pay, Google Pay or credit card.
If you are unable to scan the QR code or need other assistance, find a parking ambassador.
How to use pre-paid parking at American Family Field
Pre-paid parking is less expensive than day-of and can be purchased when you buy your ticket to a game. Parking passes will be digitally delivered to the MLB Ballpark app.
Here's how to activate your pre-paid parking once in the lot:
Drive into your desired parking lot, and follow the parking ambassadors' instructions.
Scan the QR code on the nearest light pole.
Select "Activate Prepaid Parking Pass" if you have a digital ticket OR select "Activate Printed Ticket" if you have a paper ticket.
Activate your parking pass: If you have a digital ticket, you can do this by entering your license plate number. If you have a paper ticket, enter the last 8 digits of your ticket barcode into the "Prepaid Ticket Number" box and enter your license plate number.
Agree to terms.
If you are unable to scan the QR code or need other assistance, find a parking ambassador.
How can I park at the Brewers game if I don't have a smartphone?
There are four pay station kiosks at American Family Field where fans can enter their license plate number and pay. After entering your plate number at the kiosk, you can head straight to the game, Hartlund said. The pay stations are located by the Third Base Gate, Tailgate Haus, Helfaer Field and the Workers Monument, he said.
Alternatively, those without a smartphone can find a parking ambassador, who can perform the parking transaction for them.
How much does parking cost at American Family Field?
Pre-paid parking prices:
Monday-Friday: $13 general, $18 preferred
Weekends, Opening Day and all Cubs games: $15 general, $20 preferred
Day-of parking prices:
Monday-Friday: $15 general, $25 preferred
Weekends, Opening Day and all Cubs games: $20 general, $40 preferred
More information on parking prices, including info for bus and RV lots, can be found here on the Brewers website.
What happens if you enter your license plate information incorrectly?
You will not be towed if you accidentally enter your license plate information incorrectly, Hartlund said.
"If you inadvertently put in a wrong number for your license plate and you can somehow get a (parking) ticket, you can talk to the folks at Interstate," he said. "They'll be able to recognize in the camera system that you actually came in" and the number was just entered incorrectly.
However, if you park without paying, you will receive a ticket for the cost of parking plus a $3 fine. Interstate will enforce parking 30 minutes after the first pitch, Hartlund said.
What will happen to cashiers' jobs?
With the new parking system, fans no longer need to pay for parking at the gate or receive pre-paid parking passes from cashiers. However, no jobs were lost in the implementation of the new system, Hartlund said.
"The cashiers and the people handling the transactions were repositioned to parking ambassadors," he said. "There are still plenty of people on property to help out."
The parking ambassador team consists of Interstate Parking employees and former Brewers parking cashiers.
"The investment in this process is not a labor-savings objective by the team," Janowiec said. "The investment in this process is purely to enhance the fan arrival experience and get rid of that 45-minute wait time."
What happens with license plate data?
Interstate Parking Company retains the license plate data for 36 months before dumping it, Janowiec said.
"It's completely secure data. We don't sell or transfer any of the data outside of our database," he said. "It's used exclusively to monitor the parking system."
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Brewers new parking system: How to pay, park at AmFam Field
