The City of Knoxville will offer free game day parking at two of its downtown garages again this fall during the University of Tennessee's football season.

This marks the third year that free parking will be available at the city's Market Square and State Street Garages. Fans can also park for free at the surface lot on State Street and at the Promenade Garage on State Street.The Volunteers open the season against UT Martin at 6 p.m., Saturday September 4. It's the first of four home games in a row in September and seven overall during the 2010 football season.

Other city-owned garages, all of which are managed by the Public Building Authority, will still feature pay parking on game days.

Football fans and fans of downtown are encouraged to arrive early and stay late on football Saturdays to take advantage of all that downtown has to offer including great places to eat, drink, shop and be entertained – before and after the games.

The city began offering free parking at the Market Square and State Street Garages in 2008 as a way to encourage football fans to spend time in downtown Knoxville on game days. It has been a great success.

"This policy is good for the fans because it provides free parking at a location where there is a lot to do," said Hannah Parker, the city's policy analyst and downtown coordinator. "And it's good for the city and downtown business owners because it showcases a great downtown that gets even better each season."

The State Street Garage is located between Central Avenue and State Street with additional entrances on Clinch and Union Avenues. The Market

Square Garage is just west of the square with entrances on Wall Avenue and Walnut Street. There are 842 spaces available in State Street and 700 spaces at Market Square. The Promenade Garage and State Street Surface lot include more than 500 spaces.

If fans don't make it to downtown early enough to take advantage of a spot in one of the free garages there are convenient paid parking opportunities in other city and county-owned parking garages including the Main Avenue Garage, Dwight Kessel Garage, the Poplar Street Lot and the City County Building Parking Garage.A map of city and county-owned parking garages is available at www.cityofknoxville.org/map/football.asp.

From downtown anyone can ride KAT's football shuttles to and from Neyland Stadium. The shuttles begin running three hours before the game and begin returning to downtown in the fourth quarter and continue until about 30 minutes following the game. For more information about shuttle schedules and locations please visit www.katbus.com and click on "Services."

Football parking prices at the downtown parking garages and lots are:

GARAGE/PRICE
State Street Garage/Free
State Street Surface Lot/Free
Promenade Garage/Free
Market Square Garage/Free
Main Ave. Garage/$20
City County Building/$20
Locust St. Garage/$20
Dwight Kessel Garage/$20
Poplar Street Lot/$30
Blackstock Lot/$25 per day for RV $10 per vehicle