A Central California mall has sparked backlash after launching a paid parking program for prime spots near the entrance.
Valley Plaza Mall in Bakersfield rolled out its “Preferred Paid Parking” program on Aug. 1, charging shoppers who want to park closer to the doors while leaving thousands of other spaces free farther away. The move by Chicago-based mall operator General Growth Properties has drawn fire from locals who say it penalizes everyday visitors.
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.
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.
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,” Kahn continued.
The company also addressed the pay to park fee and said that 10% of the proceeds goes to a local charity.
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.
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.
In the viral moment that ignited the backlash, Gabrielata’s TikTok video revealed a so-called “preferred” spot sitting roughly ten spaces from the entrance, undercutting the promise of premium convenience and fueling ridicule online. The clip became a rallying point for critics who saw the program as a cash grab dressed up as an amenity.
GGP maintains the program solves a genuine shopper complaint about finding convenient parking.