DETROIT (WWJ) -- Thursday is Opening Day, as the Detroit Tigers have their home opener against the Kansas City Royals at 1:10 p.m., the first of a three-game weekend series, with an off-day scheduled on Friday.
As Tigers fans head downtown for the ballgame and festivities, Detroit police are giving their "dos and don'ts" of parking on Opening Day.
Put another way: "beware of scammers."
Detroit Police Commander Franklin Hayes says all legitimate parking lots will have visibly marked pricing and all legitimate attendants should be wearing visible city-issued photo identification.
"They are not allowed to flag or solicit vehicles in the street," Hayes told WWJ's Jon Hewett. "If someone's cutting you off or standing in the street, telling you to park and pull here, that's not consistent with how a parking lot should be managed."
Hayes says under no circumstances -- with the exception of a designated parking zone, paying at one of the kiosks or using the Park Detroit app for street parking -- is there a cost to park on a public street. Fans should be aware of this as they look for parking on Thursday.
As for which lots are legitimate operations, Hayes says there will be signs that list the fee schedule for parking.
"A parking attendant is licensed by the city of Detroit," he said. "They will have a parking identification card with their photo, their name, the name of the lot and it's dated. The third piece is, they are not allowed to flag or solicit vehicles in the roadway."
For those looking to save a little money, many bars and restaurants around Detroit offer free shuttles between the stadium and restaurant. Often times, parking is a bit cheaper near these areas.
Be sure to check out the Guide To Tigers Opening Day 2019 to find all the information you need on getting into Comerica Park, a schedule of pregame festivities inside the stadium, and information on the annual WWJ Block Party at Grand Circus Park, which starts at 10 a.m.
The FREE event includes live music, interactive games for fans of all ages, food and merchandise. And if you don't have a ticket to the game, you can hang out in the outdoor pub and watch the game on big screens.
