The Skinny on Paid Parking at Miracle Mile Shops

[Editor’s Note: LVA correspondent Peter B. visited the Miracle Mile Shops on Tuesday for a first-hand account of the situation on Day One of paid parking as announced by Caesars Entertainment. Here’s his report.]

There’s been a lot of excitement and confusion on social media about yesterday’s announcement already and they haven’t even started to charge yet.

I was over there today and parking was still free. The entrance gates were closed, however, and an attendant was stationed next to each of them to assist people who couldn’t figure out the instructions, though the procedures are the same as everywhere else:

1) Push button
2) Take ticket
3) Proceed when gate opens

The parking guidance system with the red (parking space occupied) and green (parking space available) lights is operational and appears to be accurate. Lacking are displays showing the number of available spots in every section, but it’s a relatively small garage.

Both machines take credit cards and one also takes cash. There’s also an optical scanner for bar codes on one. An unmarked push button at the top is probably to call for assistance.

Parking rates are posted as announced (self-parking: first hour free, $12 for one to four hours, $15 daily rate; valet parking: weekdays/weekend up to two hours $24/$26, two to four hours $28/$30, daily $32/$36). So far everything is straightforward. Insert ticket into machine, pay, take ticket, and insert it into the machine at the exit gate to get out.

But now it gets interesting.

The ticket has a spot for attaching a sticker. Apparently, they’re working on a validation system for shops and restaurants to give customers free or discounted parking. They scan the sticker with bar code at the exit machine. No one had any information about this.

Unlike Caesars’ resorts where Rewards members validate their tickets inside before entering the garage, here they do this when leaving. The exit gates have a slot for credit cards and a separate slot for Caesars Rewards cards at the bottom right. Platinum, Diamond and Seven Stars members park for free. But this procedure is nowhere explained. I found out by asking the friendly lady at the Rewards desk inside Planet Hollywood. She also told me that employees park for free.

Hotel guests at PH also have free self-parking, but they have to go to the front desk to get a bar code sticker on their room key to scan at the pay machine. After I showed my Diamond card, the lady handed me a room key with sticker attached, even though I told her I wasn’t staying at the hotel.

The Elara has a separate valet and charges $30. Regular hotel guests pay $15 for self-parking, but apparently timeshare guests park for free when using their points.

So everything is pretty much the same as other Caesars resorts, except locals don’t get free parking unless they spend enough money at the mall after the (alleged) validation system is in place. Everyone gets the first hour free anyway to look around without buying anything.