The city of Minneapolis urged patience for visitors on Sunday as big crowds were expected to flood downtown for two pro sports games and a rock concert. The Minnesota Lynx go first when they start their playoff run at noon at Target Center; the Minnesota Vikings kick off at 7:20 p.m. at U.S. Bank Stadium while, just a couple of blocks away, the Los Angeles rockers Haim go on stage at the Armory at 7:30 p.m.
The crush of sports and music fans will likely fill the 18,000 parking spots managed by the city; there are thousands more spots owned by private operators like Impark, but drivers could use apps like Spot Hero, Park Whiz or ParkMobile to book a parking spot ahead of time. City officials, meanwhile, urged people to leave the car at home and use public transit, bicycles or be willing to park farther out and walk.
Sunday is just the start of a jam-packed schedule for the next six weeks of games, concerts and events that should bring some 1 million visitors to Minneapolis, the city said in a statement. The calendar includes a Paul McCartney concert, a convention for people who like sneakers, the Broadway premiere of the new Purple Rain musical, the Twin Cities Marathon and more, including: