In downtown Nashville, where parking can cost Broadway musicians $100 to $400 a month even with discounts, Metropolis just struck the sweetest chord of all — a year of free parking for those who keep the honky-tonks humming.
“Metropolis is constantly thinking about how we can leverage our technology to not only make parking easier for people, but also how we can leverage it to do good and support our hometown,” said Ryan Hunt, Metropolis’ Chief Revenue Officer, in a press release. “Nashville wouldn’t be Music City without local musicians. We want them to know we not only see and appreciate them, but that we also support them.”
The free parking program – called Park & Play — is an expansion of the 60 percent discounted rates that musicians started receiving in February. They will be able to park for free starting August 15 at various garages in the downtown area.
More than 20 downtown Nashville parking garages are included in the Park & Play program. To see a complete list, visit here. Musicians performing at an independent venue that’s a member of the Music Venue Alliance Nashville are eligible to receive QR codes ahead of each show.
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Let’s be clear–don’t just show up, park, and not pay. Follow the steps necessary to do it legally. Contact [email protected] with questions.
Free Parking From QR Code
All active members of Nashville Musicians Association, AFM Local 257, are also eligible to participate. Contact NMA for more information at 615-244-9514.
The program launched as a partnership between Metropolis, the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife, Nashville Musicians Association AFM Local 257, and the Committee for Downtown Musicians & Workers. Music Venue Alliance Nashville joined the pack in February to offer discounted parking in lots near the city’s independent music venues.
“When private, homegrown companies step up to support a crucial piece of our city’s culture, it’s something we should all celebrate,” said Night Mayor Benton McDonough, in a statement. “Metropolis has been incredibly generous and creative with their Musicians Discount, and I thank them for their continued efforts to provide relief for musicians. I look forward to seeing how others in the private sector could use this as inspiration for supporting local workers who are the engine of our success.”
According to a statement, Metropolis provided more than $20,000 in discounted parking to local musicians in the last year. Available facilities will nearly double to 23 with the expansion, and the number of musicians impacted will grow exponentially.
Free Parking Starts August 15
“We are ecstatic that Metropolis has now brought independent venues into this amazing program,” said Chris Cobb, President of the Music Venue Alliance Nashville, in a statement. “As we discovered through the Greater Nashville Music Census, parking has become one of the greatest concerns for our local music community as Nashville has grown. Metropolis stepping up in such a big way to help us address that issue is a major win. This is a great example of what can happen when we work together and prioritize keeping Music City music friendly for those who keep the engine running every day.”
For more information about the program and how to obtain the discount, visit Metro’s Beer Permits Office.
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
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