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RailRiders to Add Parking Fee

MOOSIC — On this opening day for Major League Baseball, our area’s AAA minor league team was making preparations for its opening day later this week...

MOOSIC -- On this opening day for Major League Baseball, our area's AAA minor league team was making preparations for its opening day later this week.

This year, most people attending Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders games will have an extra expense.

Officials with the RailRiders say there are a few changes coming this season. The first one fans will notice is general admission guests will now have to pay a $2 parking fee. The RailRiders say the money raised will help improve the parking lot.

Just a few days from opening day, PNC Field was busy with workers installing new signs. The most noticeable may be a 20-foot tall tire, a promotion for Jack Williams Tire. Fans will also see a tribute to fallen state trooper Cpl. Bryon Dickson when they walk into the park.

But the sign likely to draw the most controversy is the one right at the entrance to the ballpark in Moosic, telling fans they'll owe an extra $2 to park a vehicle.

"As you're pulling in as a general fan, coming to the box office for tickets, you will be charged a $2 parking fee, and it's not because we're trying to hurt anyone, we're actually trying to do more for this ballpark," said RailRiders interim General Manager Jeremy Ruby.

Parking at the ballpark has been free since the New York Yankees farm team came to town in 2006. Ruby says it will still be free for any fan who has game package or season tickets. He says the parking fee is aimed at improving parking.

Since the baseball stadium was first built in the late 1980s, large parts of the parking lot have always been just gravel and the lighting system is now 26 years old and starting to show its age.

The RailRiders hope to raise the $1 million needed to install new lighting and pave the parking lot.

"Oh, I think it would be real nice, just makes it that much nicer, especially if it's rained the night before or something like that and $2 isn't a big deal to pay. As I said, we're from the New York area and parking for games over there can be $25 or more sometimes," said New Jersey resident Bob Duncan.

Duncan says it was a unique perk to park for free at PNC Field, a perk he is willing to give up.

Ruby says the parking fee is likely to stand for the long term.

"It's not quite where we want it to be. We have this beautiful facility that we're standing on right now and when you get through the gates here. So, we want to make this whole area as pleasing as we possibly can."

As a bit of consolation, on weekend games, the RailRiders will pass out coupon books to fans who pay the parking fee. The RailRiders season kicks off on Thursday, April 9 at PNC Field.

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