Markets 
Scoring a parking space at a California mall is no longer a matter of luck — it’s a matter of whether you’re willing to pay up.
The Valley Plaza Mall in Bakersfield has sparked outrage after rolling out a new program that charges shoppers to park in some of the spaces closest to the entrance.
The “Preferred Paid Parking” program launched Aug. 1 at the mall, giving shoppers a choice: cough up a couple of bucks for a spot or park for free farther away.
But the move has already left some locals seeing red — and they’ve taken to social media to let the mall know it.
Gabrielata posted a TikTok mocking one of the parking spots and said if she was going to pay for parking it certainly wouldn’t be one so far away from the mall’s entrance.
Her video showed a parking spot located at least ten spaces away from the front.
“This is what happens when LA people move to Bakersfield. NOW THEY’RE CHARGING FOR PARKING,” one person wrote in response to the video.
Others pointed out that shopping malls are already struggling and this is not going to help.
“If you want people to come to your business you shouldn’t charge them for parking, you want them to spend the money inside the stores,” shopper C.A. Nunerle told 23 ABC Bakersfield.
“Another reason NOT to go to the mall!!They shoot themselves in the foot doing this!!” another person wrote on social media.
Of the mall’s more than 5,000 parking spaces, 240 have been designated for drivers willing to pay for the privilege, according to Bakersfield Now. The program does not affect handicapped parking spaces.
The cost to park in the preferred spots runs $2.45 for the first hour and $2 for every additional hour, with a maximum of $10 per day. Drivers can pay using a credit card by scanning a QR code or sending a text message and cash is not accepted.
Chicago-based mall operator General Growth Properties (GGP) said the change is in an effort to address one of the common problems they hear from shoppers, which is struggling to find a convenient place to park, USA Today reported.
And it’s not just happening in Bakersfield. Northridge Fashion Center in Los Angeles has begun charging for parking along with numerous GGP shopping centers across the country, upsetting shoppers who accuse the company of just looking to make an extra buck.
GGP spokesperson Lindsay Kahn said “Preferred Parking is intended for those who want the convenience to not look for a spot.”
“Whether guests are making a quick shopping trip, looking to get in and out or parking for a restaurant reservation, the program is an amenity for convenience.”
The company also addressed the pay to park fee and said that 10% of the proceeds goes to a local charity.
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