CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Tow trucks spoiled the fun for a handful of people attending a U.S. Cellular Center event last Friday. And downtown supporters say the issue points out a real parking problem that can occur when lots of visitors flood the area. When a big show comes downtown, fans don’t always have an easy time finding a legal place to park.

About a half dozen people attending the Monster Truck Show last Friday ended up with hurt feelings and lighter wallets after the city called in tow trucks for illegal parkers.

Bruce Shakespeare from Center Point, said the city started towing vehicles parked in lots under I-380 towards the end of the truck show. He heard an announcement on the arena P.A. system during the show for people to move vehicles. But by the time he got outside, the tow truck was already hooked up. And he had to pay.

“$76 and some change—welcome to Cedar Rapids, right,” Shakespeare said. He added “this is the last time I’ll come back to Cedar Rapids for an event if this is how they treat people—no place to park.”

Republic Parking operates the parking system for the city. Administrator John Rouse said the five or six vehicles towed that night got removed because they illegally parked in surface lots reserved for monthly users. Rouse said some of those users called Friday night to complain they couldn’t find a place to park. Signs in city lots 9, 10 and 12 do warn that violators can get towed.

Downtown promoters said it’s a tough balancing act between accommodating visitors and making sure the parking system works.

Doug Neumann, president of the Cedar Rapids Downtown District, said “you want to make things as customers friendly as possible. But to manage a parking system you can’t have people parking in illegal places or places where people have paid for or may have reserved.”

As of April 1st, the Downtown District takes over control of city parking operations in the downtown area. Neumann said he hopes to install better signage directing people where to park—especially for large events. But he doesn’t believe the parking system can ignore violations altogether simply to avoid offending any out-of-town visitors.

Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director Marilee Fowler would offer a sympathetic ear—and maybe some help to make the next visit go smoother.

“We apologize because we want them to have that good experience and hopefully there’s something we can do to rectify the situation—to make it work for them the next time,” Fowler said.

Neumann said the long term solution is more parking. And he’s hopeful that is part of the plan when the city’s new convention complex is finished in a couple of years.

When demolition starts in a few weeks, the U.S. Cellular Center will also lose the use of a couple of private parking garages that opened for event parking. But Neumann said the arena will soon close later this year for remodeling and that will defer any event parking issues until the new center reopens.