With the World Series taking place in Chicago this weekend, parking around Wrigley Field is going to be a nightmare. The city of Chicago has banned a whole bunch of street parking near the stadium, as well as parts of River North, the Near North Side and downtown. Parking lots near the stadium are expected to cost at least $150.
ParqEx, a Chicago parking app that lets people rent their own parking spaces (think Airbnb, but for parking), gives commuting Cubs fans another option for nearby parking--but don't expect a discount. ParqEx founder and CEO Vivek Mehra said spots in Wrigleyville for Game 3 of the World Series are being listed for as high as $250.
The World Series has been a big boost in business for the less than 2-year-old startup. Mehra said via email that ParqEx has seen a roughly 400% increase in Wrigley-area spots created from last month to this month, and the startup has seen nearly three times as many new properties created in the last week as there were in the first 3 weeks of October.
ParqEx prices for Game 3 are currently ranging between $50-$250 depending on the distance from the field.
"We are seeing a huge uptick in people listing their parking spots on our platform," he said. "Our entire team is being dispatched to our properties in Wrigleyville to assist both owners and renters with the parking process."
Unlike other parking apps like SpotHero and ParkWhiz, which connect drivers to commercial lots, ParqEx helps users find open private parking spaces, which people can rent by the hour or by the day.
