New rule has tailgaters crying in their beer

Thursday, September 02, 2004

For the past several years, members of the "Terrible Bra and Grill" tailgate party have congregated near a bridge support in Gold Lot 4 near Heinz Field to partake in a pregame spread that has included steak, salmon, salads, soups and enough spirits to numb the pain of a Steelers loss.

But this year, Alco Parking Corp. may do what neither rain, snow, subfreezing temperatures nor a losing season could do -- break up the 50 or so members of the party, named for the black and gold bra worn by a woman in the group.

Because of a new Alco parking policy, those tailgaters and others no longer are able to set up game-day spreads in spots of their choice. Instead, vehicles are being lined up side by side, without exception, by a parking attendant as they enter lots. Unless tailgaters arrive together in a convoy, they run the risk of ending up in different parts of the lot.

That has upset some tailgaters.

"I feel that my privileges to park my vehicle where I want, to be able to associate with my friends before a football game, have been taken away from me," Tom McGregor said. "When I purchased these parking tickets, there were no restrictions. It's only after they cashed my check that they told me what the rules would be."

McGregor said members of the Terrible Bra group met by chance in the parking lot more than three years ago. They decided rather than having each carload bring its own picnic, they'd coordinate their efforts.

McGregor has arrived before the parking lots opened in the past to claim the group's customary spot near the Fort Duquesne Bridge support, which gave him extra room for tables and coolers. Other members would also arrive early and take spots near him. Now, claiming those spots will be left to the luck of the draw.

"To me they're taking the spirit out of tailgating," said Barbara Cord, another member of the group.

Alco began assigning spots in some lots a year or two ago and this year extended the policy to Gold lots 4 and 5, affecting 1,000 parkers who use those two lots.

Alco President Merrill Stabile said the company enacted the policy to ensure a more orderly and trouble-free filling of the lots.

In the past, tailgating crowds have made it difficult for attendants to spot open spaces in the lots. Fights and disruptions have occurred when someone tried to park in an open spot being saved by someone or blocked by the overflow from a tailgate party, Stabile said. He said he has no plans to change the new policy.

"Our goal is to accommodate as many fans as possible. By allowing [tailgaters] to go anywhere they want and forming crowds around these cars, that prevents us from obtaining that goal," Stabile said.

Adding to the need for more orderly and efficient parking, he said, is that the North Shore has lost some 500 spaces to construction over the last year and could lose more in the future.

McGregor said the new policy penalizes tailgaters who are not disruptive and who make the extra effort to arrive early so that they can get their favorite spot. He said he sees no reason why Alco could not allow the early birds to park where they wanted and then assign spots as the game day traffic increased.

"Why penalize the people who get there so far in advance to get the parking of their choice? Why would you penalize everybody? If there are parking concerns, address them when people start coming in," he said