Winter Classic Help Thread - Parking in Ann Arbor, etc.

Fugu

RIP Barb
Nov 26, 2004
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http://www.freep.com/article/201312...ans-should-plan-ahead-park-NHL-Winter-Classic

Timely article from Detroit Free Press. If you don't know your way around Ann Arbor, parking at Briarwood Mall is your best bet. It's right off I-94, exit 177 (northbound).

Parking within a half-mile of the stadium is expected to cost $50 to $60, according to NHL officials.

There is expected to be more congestion for the event than a normal U-M home football game, with 107,000 people expected to attend, so fans are being encouraged to arrive early for the 1 p.m. game. Many fans are coming from Canada and might not be familiar with the parking options around Michigan Stadium or how to navigate the local roads.

Parking lots will open at 7 a.m. Jan. 1.

The NHL has arranged a park-and-ride shuttle for 2,200 vehicles that park at Briarwood Mall. Parking will be free there. Another way to get to the game is a fan shuttle operated by the NHL that will service the same hotels and parking lots that the Ann Arbor Transit Authority does for its football shuttle. A round-trip ticket for the shuttles is $4, and the fan shuttle will begin operating at 9:30 a.m.

A total of 66 school buses will be running before the game — 25 from Briarwood Mall, 18 from downtown Ann Arbor parking garages and 23 servicing local hotels and park-and-ride lots.

The postgame bus service will increase to 123 school buses — 50 for Briarwood Mall, 32 for the downtown Ann Arbor parking garages and 41 for the hotel and park-and-ride lots.

Rates at the downtown Ann Arbor parking garages will be $5.

Main Street will be closed between Stadium Boulevard and Pauline Boulevard northbound starting at 10 a.m. and southbound between the same intersections at noon. Main Street will be open in both directions immediately following the game.

After the game, South Main Street will run all lanes southbound for cars exiting to I-94.

Fans who want to guarantee themselves a parking spot before the event can do so through parknparty.com.
Article has a map of AA as well.
 

Wings13

Registered User
Aug 14, 2007
230
0
Hey Guys,

Suggestions on places to stay (for Winter Classic)? Budget wise probably around $130/night checking in on the 31st out on the 2nd. I've found a lot of hotels in a lot of different areas Novi, Canton, Farmington Hills, Romulus, etc. Just not sure where to stay for what we're looking for

We're a group of 20something looking to go and have a good time, party on New Year's Eve and tailgate before the game on the 1st.

All suggestions helpful!
 

Ozz

Registered User
Oct 25, 2009
9,471
686
Hockeytown
Thanks for the link, I just reserved a spot .5 away for $30+ fees. We usually pay $20-25 for Michigan games and I figured it'd be more for this event, so that's not bad at all. Other spots, including those further away, cost up to twice as much as that too. Nice to have it reserved so I don't show up at the mall, find it filled, and end up driving around forever looking for a spot. That would suck!
 

Wings13

Registered User
Aug 14, 2007
230
0
Thanks for the link, I just reserved a spot .5 away for $30+ fees. We usually pay $20-25 for Michigan games and I figured it'd be more for this event, so that's not bad at all. Other spots, including those further away, cost up to twice as much as that too. Nice to have it reserved so I don't show up at the mall, find it filled, and end up driving around forever looking for a spot. That would suck!

Can you tailgate there? We were looking at a few .5 away but were going for $60+
 

Ozz

Registered User
Oct 25, 2009
9,471
686
Hockeytown
Suggestions on where to park for a good tailgate? Never been to Ann Arbor.

Coming in from Toronto, but Red Wings fan!

I can't recommend anywhere in particular as I'm not much of a drinker, but I did notice places on that park&party site specify whether or not they allowed tailgating. I'd imagine anywhere allowing it would be good enough!
 

juiceman

Registered User
Nov 25, 2007
206
0
Michigan
If you're looking just to park without tailgating, you can usually park on the street in one of the neighborhoods off of W Stadium Blvd west of the Stadium or Pioneer High School. That is what I usually do when I have gone to U of M football games.

There is also a church (Trinity Evangelical Lutheran) on W Stadium Blvd in the same area that doesn't charge much to park there.
 

Octopus

Registered User
May 17, 2006
375
44
Where to eat during the Winter Classic?

Going to the big game and don't know the area so I'm hoping for some suggestions for good food at reasonable prices. Let me know of your favorite places...
 

Flowah

Registered User
Nov 30, 2009
10,249
547
Didn't you... make this exact thread a while ago?

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1477435&highlight=ann+arbor

Plenty of good answers in there.

Biggest problem will be finding a place without an insane wait time. It gets tough enough with just the regular college town crowd. It's going to be ****ing nuts if you add a tens of thousands of out of towners.

One thing is, Blimpy's has definitely closed that location. Dunno if it's moved somewhere else or just gone forever.
 

Wings13

Registered User
Aug 14, 2007
230
0
Some of our group had a family emergency arise and can't make it anymore. I have up to 3 tickets available if anyone is interested PM me. Just looking to get what I paid for them back. Section 31 row 15
 

Ozz

Registered User
Oct 25, 2009
9,471
686
Hockeytown
The UM/WMU game was on FSD last night. 3rd place game is on now and championship game is at 10pm on the same channel.
 

Fugu

RIP Barb
Nov 26, 2004
36,952
220
϶(°o°)ϵ
NHL AND UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ISSUE FAN REMINDERS FOR WEDNESDAY’S 2014 BRIDGESTONE NHL WINTER CLASSIC®
ANN ARBOR (Dec. 28, 2013) – The National Hockey League and the University of Michigan would like to remind fans attending Wednesday’s 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® about some traffic, parking and security matters.
Faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on New Year’s Day. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid anticipated heavy traffic and last minute crowds at the gates, and to enjoy pregame festivities inside and around the stadium. Spectator Plaza, a free, interactive hockey and entertainment festival, opens to the public at 9 a.m. ET on game day, located just outside Crisler Center on the east side of Michigan Stadium. All gates to Michigan Stadium will open at 10 a.m. ET.
Fans are also reminded of the following stadium policies:

  • There is a NO BAG POLICY at Michigan Stadium. This includes: all bags, backpacks, purses, camera and binocular cases, etc. Please plan on leaving bags and purses locked in the trunk of your vehicle.
  • Signage and apparel displaying profane or abusive language or inappropriate messages are prohibited in Michigan Stadium. Fans with signage or apparel bearing foul language will not be allowed into Michigan Stadium or will be subject to expulsion from the stadium. Umbrellas and seat backs are not permitted into Michigan Stadium.
  • All fans, regardless of age, must have a valid ticket to be admitted to the stadium.
  • Media must have pre-registered and have a valid credential prior to being admitted to the stadium. Credentials can be picked up in the NHL credential office trailer located at the north east side of the stadium near Gate 10.
  • The NHL recommends that all fans lock their vehicles and keep personal belongings out of sight before entering the stadium. Fans are advised to not leave valuables in their vehicles during games.
Seat Cushions: All fans attending the 2014 Bridgestone Winter Classic® will receive a commemorative seat cushion, already in place on their ticketed seat. These seat cushions are a give-a-way to all ticketed fans to take home after the game.
Counterfeit Tickets: The 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® is sold out! The National Hockey League and the University of Michigan Athletic Department are warning fans to watch out for counterfeit tickets when attempting to make a purchase from scalpers. Fans are advised not to purchase tickets from scalpers because of the possibility of counterfeiting.
Additionally, the NHL cautions that fans planning to attend the event could be targeted by counterfeiters attempting to sell unauthorized and poorly made knock-off merchandise. In addition to misleading consumers who believe they are buying authentic merchandise, counterfeiting hurts local retailers and businesses that play by the rules. To avoid being victimized by counterfeiters, the NHL urges fans to take the necessary precautions to ensure they’re buying high-quality merchandise and not supporting illegal activity.
Parking
Fans without pre-sold parking should utilize:

  • Downtown Ann Arbor Parking Garages ($5.00) Presold parking for downtown garages can be purchased online by visiting http://www.parknparty.com.
  • Pioneer High School (access from South Main Street).
  • Briarwood Mall Park and Ride (access from State Street, exit 177 off I-94)
  • Michigan Stadium Parking Lots (pre-sold and cash lots) and Pioneer High School Parking open at 7 a.m. ET. RV Parking is available at Pioneer High School and through other private vendors.
For more parking and transportation information visit http://www.nhl.com/wcparking
. Winter Classic Fan Shuttle: The NHL will be operating a NHL Winter Classic Fan Shuttle, servicing the same hotels and parking lots that the Ann Arbor Transit Authority (AATA) normally provides for their Football Ride Shuttle. Roundtrip tickets will be sold for $4.00 and will be available on game day only from the same hotels that participate in the AATA Football Ride Shuttle as well as all park and ride shuttle locations, downtown bus stops and the Briarwood Mall bus stop. The NHL Winter Classic Fan Shuttle will operate beginning at 9:30am. Additional post-game buses have been added to service all routes, including new downtown Ann Arbor routes for those who park downtown.
Buses, Limos & Taxi’s
All buses, limos and taxis will NOT be allowed to drop off passengers or stage on any street adjacent to Michigan Stadium.
All buses and limousines will be directed to park at Pioneer High School, located adjacent to Michigan Stadium at 1600 South Main Street, Ann Arbor. Parking fees are being handled directly by Michigan Event Parking, the operator of the lot for Pioneer High School. On-line advance purchases can be found at http://www.michiganeventparking.com
. Official Taxi Staging drop off and pick up (not to be used by buses and limousines) will be located on Brown Street on the north side of Michigan Stadium between E. Hoover Ave and Hill Street.
Street Closures: Main Street, between Stadium Blvd and Pauline Blvd will be closed north bound starting at 10:00am and south bound between Pauline Blvd and Stadium Blvd at 12:00pm. These closures will be open immediately after the game.
Weather: The Weather Forecast for Game Day is anticipated to be cold with temperatures ranging between single digits and the teens. Fans should dress appropriately for the cold outdoor weather conditions at Michigan Stadium.
Post-Game Traffic: Post-Game all South Main Street lanes from Stadium Blvd to Ann Arbor Saline Road will allow traffic to head south towards I-94.
More information on the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®:
With less than a week until the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, the countdown to the much-anticipated outdoor match-up between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 1 continues. The rivalry between the two storied – and NHL Original Six™ – franchises will take center stage in the first-ever cross-border NHL Winter Classic as the Red Wings and Maple Leafs meet at The Big House® on the University of Michigan campus in front of a potential world record-setting crowd. The game will air live on NBC in the U.S. and on CBC and RDS in Canada; SiriusXM Radio will provide live radio coverage. NHL Network and NHL.com will provide hours of live and digital coverage in the days leading up to and after the game. The 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will be broadcast to more than 160 countries and territories; the Armed Forces Network will broadcast the outdoor game via tape delay to military bases around the world. NHL Social™ will have exclusive coverage on all social platforms, including the use of the hashtag #WinterClassic. Fans can register to receive more information at events2014.nhl.com.
 

EvilCoop

What year is it?
Nov 29, 2011
10,192
0
The Black Lodge
Didn't you... make this exact thread a while ago?

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1477435&highlight=ann+arbor

Plenty of good answers in there.

Biggest problem will be finding a place without an insane wait time. It gets tough enough with just the regular college town crowd. It's going to be ****ing nuts if you add a tens of thousands of out of towners.

One thing is, Blimpy's has definitely closed that location. Dunno if it's moved somewhere else or just gone forever.

Blimpy's is gone, likely forever. There are some restaurants near the diag which will likely be zoos, but since the University is on break, it won't be that much worse than it is on Football Saturdays.

One word of advice, and this is stating the obvious, don't try to get into Zingerman's on game day, that's really stupid.
 

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