TAMPA, Fla. — Beyonce kicks off her concert at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Wednesday night, and for those who live near the stadium, these big-ticket concerts and games can mean big bucks.
It’s the culture of the neighborhood around Raymond James: for every event, you’ll find parking signs on front lawns without fail.
"Since 1978, I've been parking. ’79, around there,” said Arthur Arcuri.
Arcuri lives just down the street from the stadium. From the Bucs games to the Beyonce concert, you’ll find his sign-up to park cars on his lawn.
"We kind of represent the city of Tampa, and when people come here from out of town, we're the representatives of Tampa,” said Arcuri. “We make a little bit of money on the side. It's human nature to make money and be a capitalist, I think.”
It’s a neighborhood effort to flag passing cars and get fans parked and on their way.
"We all talk with each other. We all come out,” said Arcuri. “I know all my neighbors personally by their first name, and I think a lot of it has to do with the parking."
Tammy Malagon knows all about the parking puzzle. She’s been parking cars for different events at Raymond James since 2009.
"Every event that happens at the stadium: football, concerts, monster trucks, soccer games, everything,” said Malagon.
Malagon said to expect bumper-to-bumper roads, with a whole street filled with cars looking for close parking. All those drivers looking for a spot make a big impact on the community too.
"We do it just for fun and just for the crowd and entertain with the crowd, but a lot of older people in this neighborhood depend on that,” said Malagon.
So whether it’s for the Bucs or Beyonce, neighbors stand ready to help make fans’ experience in and out of the stadium smooth.
"Hey, we just support whoever's at the stadium,” said Malagon.
