Sellout Gen Con crowd could make downtown parking difficult

INDIANAPOLIS — Board game enthusiasts from around the world are making the journey to Indianapolis this week for Gen Con, but the hardest game might be finding a place to park their cars.

Gen Con announced all of its 70,000 badges sold out before the doors opened, which it claims is the first time that has ever happened.

WRTV

"We were very much warning people in the last couple weeks and saying, 'Hey, we're not kidding, we're probably going to sell out,'" said Gen Con spokesperson Stacia Kirby.

The rush to the Indiana Convention Center reminded convention attendees of their strategies to get there at all.

WRTV

Users of the popular Gate Ten parking lot south of Lucas Oil Stadium were worried their spots moved to the Indianapolis Zoo overflow lot nearly two miles away after an e-mail from the company.

However, an employee at Gate Ten told WRTV the Zoo lot is an overflow operation for the Lucas Oil lot because of the expected Gen Con crowd.

WRTV

Some attendees told WRTV they are leaving their car behind when they come downtown.

"We always get a hotel even though we live in Indy and stay for the week," said Gen Con attendee Gary Ladd, who lives in Indianapolis. "An Uber drops us off and picks us up when it's all over."

WRTV

"It keeps you in the fun and the element to get a hotel downtown, and that is not an easy feat these days," said Ladd's travel partner Bill Bush, who took an Uber from Avon to attend Gen Con.

Since Gen Con itself does not control the parking lots, it suggests making a transportation plan before stepping foot in downtown.

WRTV

"I'm not much help when it comes to parking," Kirby said. "Good luck."