The heart of Mobile’s Carnival season might be 160 days out, but plenty of questions are surfacing over how people will be able to park before entering some of the biggest parties of the season.

City officials are signaling that the Mobile Civic Center’s parking lot will be closed for the 2024 Mardi Gras season. And with limited parking within a short walking distance to the Civic Center, vendors like Alec Naman are weighing the options.

“We’ve been concerned about it all year, to be honest,” said Naman, whose catering company works throughout the Carnival season and is busy providing for all the Mardi Gras balls held inside the Civic Center Arena. “We don’t have answers yet.”

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While the mystic societies are aware of the parking situation, few details have surfaced about alternative arrangements for attendees at this year’s balls. Some of the season’s largest balls have been hosted inside the Civic Center – once called the Mobile Municipal Auditorium – since the mid-60s.

The Civic Center’s parking lot will be closed next year to accommodate the construction of a new parking garage and an on-site office building for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“People have had a lot of time to prepare,” said Judi Gulledge, executive director of the Mobile Carnival Association. “I think most mystic organizations that use the Civic Center are aware of that and where the construction is taking place. I think, probably, the general public is aware of that, too.”

She added, “It is my understanding that the city is preparing a plan and are aware of the shortage of the parking that will be available.”

Alternative parking

James DeLapp, executive director of public works for the City of Mobile, said on Tuesday that “alternative parking is being identified” for the upcoming Carnival season, which typically kicks off in late January and will last until Fat Tuesday, which is February 13, 2024.

He said there will be limited handicap parking available during next year’s season on the Civic Center grounds. But aside from that, the people attending the balls while dressed in formal wear will need to park in a garage or side street at or near the downtown venue.

David Clark, president & CEO with Visit Mobile, said that city leaders had a meeting about two weeks ago to discuss the parking situation, and whether shuttles should be utilized to move people from other areas of downtown Mobile to the Civic Center.

For Mardi Gras balls, the timing of those shuttles could be an issue. Mystic societies, at a certain hour after the conclusion of a Mardi Gras parade, will close the Civic Center Arena while their tableau – a performance that highlights and celebrates the society – takes place.

“We are working through Google map ideas of locations within a mile of downtown where we can run shuttles and buses,” said Clark. “You can put up big tents and waiting areas and things like that. There are ways to do this.”

Some of the largest mystic societies can host balls that draw upwards of 3,000-4,000 people.

“What needs to be discussed is the parking for people who enjoy the Civic Center,” said Mobile City Councilman William Carroll, who represents the downtown area. “How much parking is going to be available? Will (ball attendees) use these (other parking) facilities downtown that are five blocks away and walk to the Civic Center? Those are things that the major organizations take into consideration.”

Carroll said he was unsure what the city’s role and responsibilities will be in providing transportation from a parking location to the Civic Center.

Naman said he could see some of the mystic societies deciding to roll back the number of invitations they send out for their balls next year.

“In talking with our ball captains and committees, they are thinking they won’t have the crowds they normally have with no parking (at the Civic Center) and will try to reduce the number of people coming to the balls or the number of invitations that are sent out,” he said.

Wayne Dean, a Mardi Gras historian who portrays the character Slacabamarinico during Carnival season, said the “biggest concern” for most people affiliated with Mardi Gras is with the parking.

Those concerns come less than a year after the city was aggressive in its towing plan during last year’s Mardi Gras season. According to the city, 510 vehicles were towed during the 2023 event, up from 337 in 2022.

Dean also said he is concerned about the parade route, which begins at the Civic Center. Floats and other parade features stage in an area along Claiborne Street before the parades roll.

“If people are parking in some faraway place, how do they get to the Civic Center?” said Dean. “That’s the most immediate concern.”

Carroll said he does not think the parades will have to be changed to accommodate the Civic Center site work.

Future issues

But looking forward, the reconstruction of the Civic Center Arena is poised to disrupt future Mardi Gras events – notably, the 2026 Carnival.

The city is eyeing a possible $202 million revitalization of the aging building, though the project is in its earliest stages and financing has yet to be identified.

DeLapp said the goal is to have the Civic Center project completed before the 2027 Mardi Gras season. To accommodate that work, the Civic Center Arena would be under construction during the 2026 season and could not be utilized at all. Officials believe that the final year for the balls hosted at the current Civic Center Arena will be in 2025.

“I know the city is working hard to get this right,” Clark said. “I think the Mardi Gras societies will have opportunities here they have never had once this project is complete. They will have cool event spaces in how they reimagine and put on their parties. It will be much more user friendly.”

Naman said he supports the city’s overall plans, even if it might lead to some short-term headaches.

“The amenities will be great when it’s all over with,” he said. “We’ll make do whatever the situation is and make it happen based on what we have to work with. If it takes a little extra staff to go further out to unload and load, we will do whatever we have to do. I want every job to be great, no matter what the logistics are.”