ASPEN, COLO. — The city of Aspen is offering free parking on the two Saturdays before Christmas to try to boost downtown holiday shopping.
The city said Friday that drivers wouldn’t have to plug the meters today or Dec. 20.
It normally costs $11 to park for four straight hours.
Tim Ware of the city’s parking department said the move could mean $6,000 to $7,000 per day in parking fees that the city won’t collect.
“I don’t know how much effect it will have, but we’ll see,” Ware said. “We’ll give it a try.” Parking enforcement officers will check whether the free parking brings more people downtown.
Aspen Chamber Resort Association President Debbie Braun said that even if people use the free parking spots to ski instead of shop, they might still shop, drink or eat downtown afterward.
“If that’s stimulating the economy at all, we absolutely should be doing it,” she said. “I think it shows that, as a community, we’re trying.” Durrance Sports CEO Alex Rebeiz said free parking should encourage more people to both ski and shop. Business at his store since Thanksgiving has been up from what it was in a record year last year. On Saturday, sales by midday were up 114 percent from last year, he said, though it wasn’t clear whether the free parking played a part.
“We have a loyal local following that goes skiing every year whether the economy is good or bad, and Mother Nature is behaving herself,” he said. “Whenever it snows, no matter what the economy is doing, people want to go ski.”
