SAN ANTONIO – Post stroke, it is difficult for Marylou Arco's husband to get around, yet she convinced him to attend a recent University of Texas-San Antonio football game with her and their grandchildren, but he was turned away in the Alamodome parking lot.
"My husband's got his master's degree from UTSA, so I felt that it would give him a little boost, pick up his morale and you know, let's have some fun," Arco said.
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With handicap plates on their truck, the Arcos family pulled up to the Alamodome on Oct. 8 for the UTSA - South Alabama game at 2 p.m. for a 4:30 kickoff.
Arcos remembers the parking attendant telling them, "You cannot park at this parking lot. You can drop him off and go find another parking space because all this is permit parking only."
She was also given the option of dropping off her husband at the front in his wheelchair.
Following the game, Arcos remembers it was a long haul back to their truck. "I had to push his wheelchair across Durango into heavy traffic," Arcos said.
Having attended other events at the Alamodome, Arcos was surprised to hear the only handicap spots had to be purchased in advance."
They could've charged me for it, I was willing to pay. That wasn't the problem," Arcos said.
UTSA spokesman, David Gabler, said in addition to advance purchase handicap parking spaces, the Alamodome also has 55 first come, first serve handicap spaces, which he said is more than what the ADA requires.
Arcos was not told the spaces were full, only that they had to be purchased in advance. But the reality is she may have gotten a spot had she arrived even earlier.
"We're always saying, 'Come early, come early.' A lot of people don't realize the activity at the Alamodome on the day of the game starts way before the game," Gabler said.
Gabler also maintains the only way to be guaranteed a spot, handicap or otherwise, on game day is to purchase a season parking pass.
Another option for those just attending a game or two is to utilize the Via Park and Ride system where buses drop off and pick up right in front of the stadium.