parking tips for st. thomas tommies hockey vs. lake superior state lakers hockey at lee and penny anderson arena (st. paul 12/05)

hey everyone, figured i'd share some parking tips for the lake superior state game on 12/05. the lee and penny anderson arena is great, but the parking situation is always a hassle, especially since they're still dealing with construction stuff from what i hear, which closed some spots recently . you really gotta have a plan to avoid the traffic jams and the expensive campus ramps.

first things first, my top tip is honestly checking out **Prked**. it's this app where people right next to the arena, in the houses across the street and on grand ave, rent out their driveways and private garage spots for the night. it's usually way cheaper than the campus rates and you can completely skip the line of cars waiting to get into the big university garages. a short two-block walk beats sitting in gridlock, trust me.

if you gotta stick to campus parking, the main option is the **anderson parking facility (apf)**, which is right next to the arena . the evening rate is $1.55 an hour after 4 p.m., but just be aware that for big games they might switch to an event rate, so look out for signage . you can also try the **frey residence hall parking garage** . for even more space after 4 p.m., the university opens up the **mcneely parking garage**, the **anderson student center garage**, and the **schoenecker hall north garage** for visitors . just make sure you pre-pay at the pay station because parking is required 24/7 on campus . paying is credit card only at the stations .

a good strategy is to check ticket sites like seatgeek ahead of time because sometimes you can buy a prepaid parking pass for the arena lots to save the stress of the day-of rush . the university also has plans to use an app or electronic signs to tell you if the lots are full, so keep an eye on that if you're driving right up .

now for the street parking warning: nearly all the streets right around the st. thomas campus are **residential permit only** . they have extra law enforcement out during game days and they will absolutely ticket or tow you . if you're trying to find free street parking, you have to park several blocks farther away from campus. read every single sign on every street you park on, no exceptions . it's not worth the $50+ ticket.

finally, traffic is a nightmare right before the game. the official advice is to arrive early for the smoothest entry . since the game starts at 7:07 p.m. , i'd plan to be parked and walking by 6:00 p.m. at the latest. the university hires saint paul police traffic officers to manage the flow, so expect some delays around key intersections before the puck drops and when everyone leaves .

hope this helps and go tommies!