What to know about parking and road closures for a busy Friday night in downtown Cleveland

CLEVELAND (WJW) – At 7 p.m. on Friday night, the Billy Joel and Rod Stewart concert will kick off at Huntington Bank Field , followed shortly after by a Guardians home game at 7:10, and a Nicki Minaj concert at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 9 p.m.

It’s safe to say it will be a very busy night in downtown Cleveland, and parking will be tough to find.

Anyone you ask will say the same thing: get downtown early if you’re attending any of these events.

For the concert at Huntington Bank Field, the Director of Stadium Security for the Browns Omar Jufko told FOX 8 News that there are several things people need to remember.

First of all, the data they have from other Billy Joel and Rod Stewart concerts shows the crowd will arrive late. He said that’s an even bigger reason to get early and get in place because they’ve put out the messaging that the concert will start on time.

He also noted that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is hosting an all-day tailgate for the concert from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., which would be a good opportunity to enjoy an event before the concert.

“Parking around the city center is going to be at a premium. So, all the more reason to get here early. Plan a dinner with friends. Get downtown early. Spend some money, that way you can ease your way right into our building,” Jufko said.

A map released by the Browns shows where people should get dropped off and picked up for ride share services.

They suggest setting up rideshares for Lakeside between East 9th and West 3rd streets. Jufko reminded that rideshares can’t come up close to the stadium because of the vast amount of foot traffic, especially after the concert.

Similar to a Browns game, West 3rd Street will close at 2:30 p.m. near the stadium and East 9th Street will close at 5 p.m.

Another thing to note: anyone walking on Erieside Avenue cannot use the sidewalk on the north side of the street because of construction.

Because parking will be hard to find, the Browns also suggest using the Spot Hero service to reserve a parking space ahead of time.

Ed Eckart, the senior VP of operations for downtown Cleveland, told FOX 8 News that arriving early is important, but he also suggested staying late and taking advantage of all the city has to offer.

“This is what we want. I mean, this is what we live for. Having a condensed, vibrant downtown is what – is the economic engine of our region,” he said.

Eckart also advised people who don’t come downtown often to use downtown Cleveland’s mobile concierge ambassador service.

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