With Sing Song known to host thousands of guests, finding a parking space might be as competitive as the actual show.
Moody Coliseum will be flooded with students, participants, family members and out-of-towners, and each will have the same question as to where to park their vehicle.
Tom Craig, director of student productions, said that although parking will be plenty, it might be farther away than in past years.
“Obviously, it’s a challenging year for parking across the board,” Craig said.
Lieutenant H.E. Jenkins of the ACU Police Department said he has one major piece of advice: Arrive early.
“Plan to deal with congestion and delays,” Jenkins said. “It’s always a strain on our parking system to have so many people come at one time.”
Jenkins said he encourages all drivers to be flexible and patient. Depending on which parking locations fill up first, officers will direct cars to other lots to balance the congestion.
Sing Song parking is met with several challenges this year, Jenkins said. The Teague Special Events Center will be housing the President’s Circle dinner on Feb. 19. The Saturday dinner will require police officers to reserve the entire Teague parking lot and half of the Edwards north parking lot for both performances.
The second parking obstacle will result from the ongoing construction of the Royce and Pam Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center. With three-quarters of the Campus Center lot consumed with construction, the Robert D. and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center will be opened for additional parking.
The third parking hindrance is expected to come from the holding tents for the Sing Song participants themselves, Jenkins said. Without the usual space from the Gibson Health and P.E. Center, students in the show will navigate to and from Moody Coliseum by way of holding tents.
Officers and student workers will be manning several parking lots to ensure that traffic filters smoothly. The Campus Center lot, Morris lot, Teague lot and Edwards north lot are among them.
For students in the production, Jenkins said he strongly encourages parking in the Brown Library lot. Leaving the parking spaces closer to Moody Coliseum will be respectful to the visitors, Jenkins said. Participants can also carpool and walk, for those close to campus and if weather permits.
For handicapped parking, the Edwards north lot will be the best, although it will be limited, Jenkins said. He recommends drivers looking for handicapped spots come early as well.
“Just be respectful of everybody and be patient,” Jenkins said. “We’ve never had anyone who has shown up the last minute and not been able to get in there and see the show.”
Jenkins said his final recommendation for all students and participants is to leave immediately after the show to ease congestion.
