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Plan for Parking, Tailgating Announced for Thursday Night Football Games at App State

By Jessica Isaacs

Appalachian State University will host two Thursday night home football games this fall, and folks have been curious how (and where) game-day traffic will fit into the busy campus on a weekday, when parking is already limited.

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Yosef and a crowd of fans cheer on the Mountaineers at Kidd Brewer Stadium in a Nov. 2014 game against the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Chancellor Sheri Everts recently announced a plan for balancing the school’s academic activity with in-coming tailgaters and football fans on those two days, Oct. 22 and Nov. 5.

The elaborate plan limits on-campus parking options for faculty and staff during the academic day on those dates and prevents students from parking on campus altogether.

It does, however, implement tailgating and shuttle services to and from the old Watauga High School lot at no cost for Yosef Club members and at a cost for the public.

“It is important to note that all classes will meet as scheduled on both these dates,” Everts said in a letter to faculty and students on Friday. “While this does provide challenges, I extend my appreciation to the dedicated group who worked diligently to find game day solutions and keep our campus effectively operating to support our central academic mission.”

Everts noted that the university worked with the Town of Boone to come up with the plan, which she said will manage campus parking to “ensure sufficient, reserved parking for faculty and staff” and “accommodate game-day parking demands.”

Where can faculty park on game day Thursdays?

According to the new plan, four on-campus parking options will be reserved for faculty and staff, from which the AppalCART will run to both Peacock Circle and the library circle, but seven parking lots will be off-limits for them on those days.

Depending on where they park, some will be asked to move their cars before 3 p.m. to make room for permitted Yosef Club members, and additional areas will be made available to them after 5 p.m.

In her message, Everts noted that faculty and staff are not expected to leave early, although they may wish to do so to avoid the traffic.

What about the Yosef Club?

Club donors can park in their reserved lots beginning at 3 p.m. on Thursday game days, with overflow available at Legends.

Yosef Club members can enjoy ample room for tailgating at the old Watauga High School, as well as shuttle rides to and from the stadium.

So, where can students park on Thursday game days?

In short, they can’t.

Unless they have a valid permit for the Rivers Street deck, students will not be allowed to park on campus for the entire academic day on these two Thursday game days. If they do have a Rivers Street deck pass, they can park there until 4 p.m.

Instead, Everts encourages the student body to join the university’s sustainability mission and carpool, ride bicycles, take the AppalCART or have someone drop them off on campus.

Students living on campus with weekly permits will be asked to move their cars to alternate lots and can do so as early as 5 p.m. the Wednesday before game day.

More about the Plan

Everts explains in the message that parking and traffic attendants will be on-site to help people navigate through campus on these two Thursdays.

If you’re not a member of the Yosef Club but want to be part of the tailgating festivities, the plan says you can join the fun at the old WHS lot for $15 per car and ride the shuttle to and from the game.

Click here to read the plan and the chancellor’s message and see the full list of parking options that are available to you on Oct. 22 and Nov. 5 game days.

Click here for the ASU parking and traffic department.

The plan was posted to the online message board at YosefsCabin.com, where football fans and App State alum are already sharing their thoughts about the decision. Click here to see what they’re saying.