Where To Get Free Parking Spots, Paid Parking, How The Game Day Shuttles Work, Ubers, And Even A Parking Map. Go Vols!
Parking for Thompson-Boling Arena is nowhere near as complex (or expensive) as parking for a UT football game at nearby Neyland Stadium but it still can be confusing, time consuming with traffic, and cost money depending on where you park.
So I aim to make it a little simpler for everyone and spell out the different options you have for an event at Thompson-Boling Arena, including where to park for free, the paid parking spots, where you can catch a rideshare like Uber or Lyft (hint- it is not near the arena, that’s a very bad idea), and also how the game day shuttles work for the free parking.
The parking options vary depending on whether it is a mens basketball game, a womens basketball game, or a special event like a concert so I will make sure to explain those too. I don’t talk about parking for parking permit holders as you should have an assigned garage for that. But I will include a ton of maps so hopefully you can find your garage pretty easily.
Free Parking For Thompson-Boling Arena At Food City Center
Lets start with everyone’s favorite shall we? There are 2 choices for free parking for basketball games and large events/ concerts at Thompson-Boling Arena:
- G17/ Terrance Avenue Parking Garage (1800 Lake Ave) – free after 6 pm and weekends/ holidays
- The Ag Campus – has several large flat parking lots, handicap parking, and free shuttle service to the arena
Both of these are fine options but I tend to use the free parking at the Ag campus usually because it is easy to get to and there is a free to shuttle right to Thompson-Boling Arena.
Free Parking At The G17/ Terrance Avenue Parking Garage On Lake Ave
- All basketball games (mens and womens), plus events and concerts
- Located at 1800 Lake Avenue, just one street behind The Strip/ Cumberland Ave
- Free to park after 6 pm and on weekends/ holidays (permit required otherwise)
- 15- 20 minute walk to Thompson-Boling Arena with some hills
- Pros – access to restaurants on The Strip
- Cons – decent walk to the arena and can’t park there until after 6 pm on weekdays
The Terrance Avenue garage is a staff and commuter student parking garage which is free to park in after 6 pm and on weekends/ holidays. It is a permit-only parking otherwise. This is a great option if you want to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant before the game or concert (Sunspot is my go to place for delicious food on The Strip).
* Just remember that G17/ Terrance Ave garage is permit-only before 6 pm on weekdays and you cannot leave your car overnight (you must move it by 3 am so don’t celebrate the Vols win all night long).
The Ag Campus Has Free Parking For Thompson-Boling Arena
- All basketball games (mens and womens) plus large concerts/ events (no free parking for small events, sorry)
- Free shuttle service
- Handicapped accessible parking spots
- Pros- free parking and easy in/ out from the interstate and Alcoa Highway
- Cons – can be a bit of a wait for shuttle returning from the arena if everyone stays until the end of the game
The Ag Campus is where all the Food and Animal Science buildings are located as well as the Vet School. It is on Neyland Drive on the west side of UT’s campus. There are 2 free parking lots available on the Ag Campus:
- CF parking lot – the big flat lot along Neyland Drive, in front of Brehm Animal Sciences building *There are handicap parking spots in this lot.
- S65/66/C4 parking lots – the flat lot behind the vet school. It looks like one big lot but it is technically several.
Free Shuttle Service From UT’s Ag Campus To Thompson- Boling Arena
The free shuttle service runs from 2 hours pre-game (1.5 hours before a big concert) until 2 hours post game/ event or until the arena is cleared.
*Remember, the shuttle service only runs for a large concerts (like Journey or Blake Shelton according to UT’s parking website) and not for smaller concerts/ event like Lauren Daigle or the Harlem Globetrotters. You can probably google your specific event to find out if the shuttle is running.
Ag Campus Shuttle Pick- up
On the Ag Campus, the shuttle picks up and drops off on Joe Johnson Dr, next to the Vet School.
*Note about the pickup point – it used to be on River Dr in front of Brehm Animal Science building, but one of the parking maps says it is changed to Joe Johnson Dr on 01/ 16/ 2024.
Thompson – Boling Arena drop- offs/ pickup points for the free shuttle
The drop – off and pickup points for shuttles outside Thompson- Boling Arena are on Lake Loudoun Blvd (the main road running into campus from Neyland Drive near the arena).
The drop- off is on the far side of Lake Loudoun from the arena (corner of Lake Loudoun Blvd and Chamique Holdsclaw Dr) and the pick- up point after the game/ event is on the near side of Lake Loudoun (on the corner of Lake Loudoun and Philip Fulmer Way).
Tip for catching the shuttle afterwards – take your time
There will be a line waiting to get on the buses after a big game that is competitive until the end. If you want to minimize line waiting, either leave early (uh- no way if it is great game) or let everyone go to the bathroom afterwards and take your time.
The line doesn’t take as long as it might look as the shuttle buses can hold a lot of people each but it is no fun to stand in it on a cold and rainy December night.
*Just don’t take too long! The shuttles do stop running after 2 hours or when they think the arena is cleared.
Handicap Accessible Shuttles
I have not used the handicap services on the shuttle (my Dad uses a wheelchair but doesn’t like sporting events so I don’t have first- hand experience here). UT’s website says that all of the shuttle buses are accessible and the pick- up point on the Ag Campus is the same – Joe Johnson Dr next to the Vet School.
The drop- off and pick up point at Thompson – Boling Arena is in front of one of the accessible entrances to the arena on Philip Fulmer Way.
The UT sports website says all buses are accessible but the parking.utk.edu website mentions smaller accessible buses that do the drop- off, pick-up in front of Thompson- Boling Arena. So I am not sure exactly how this will work in practice. You could call the parking office to get clarification or just give yourself plenty of time at the Ag Campus in case they need to call a special bus (this is a good rule of thumb for any UT game – go early!)
Public Paid Parking Spots For Thompson- Boling Arena
The good news is that the pay-to-park spots are all closer to Thompson- Boling Arena than the free spots. The bad news is this is where it can get a little confusing as where you can pay-to-park varies depending on the event.
Mens basketball games, womens basketball games, concerts, and events all have different options for paid parking. So I will talk about them all individually.
*IMPORTANT INFO* All of the paid parking spots on campus are CARD ONLY/ NO CASH- no matter if you are here for a basketball game or a concert or a monster truck rally. So have the credit card handy.
Mens Basketball Games Public Paid Parking Spots
- S9 and 9 B – flat parking lot across from gate 21 of Neyland Stadium, $20 card only, available holidays and weekends
There is only 1 place where you can pay to park before a UT Mens Basketball game – the S9 flat lot across from Neyland Stadium on Philip Fulmer Way.
The lot is first come- first served and costs $20 (card only, remember?). The S9 lot is also only available on holidays and weekends – you cannot park here for weekday games!
All of the other parking lots/ garages near Thompson-Boling Arena are for parking pass holders. This was in effect for the 2023-2024 season because of the increased season ticket holder demand but in future years, the demand may be less and some of the garages may return to paid parking. But let’s hope not because that will probably mean UT is not good.
Lady Vols Basketball Games Public Paid Parking Spots
The good news is that there are a couple more options for pay-to-park spots for the Lady Vols.
- G-10 parking garage – big garage on Neyland Drive between Thompson – Boling Arena and Neyland Stadium
- G-16 parking garage – large garage on Volunteer Blvd across from the music building and the Rock
- Staff 7 flat lot – a small lot on Neyland Drive across from the UT Boathouse
- Staff 9-A flat lot – a small lot on Volunteer Blvd between the Architecture building and the Humanities building
- Staff 30-A flat lot – a small lot between the Torchbearer and Neyland Stadium on Peyton Manning Pass
- C-8 flat lot – a large lot on the corner of Lake Loudoun Blvd and Volunteer Blvd, next to Circle Park
- Circle Park parking spots – parking spots around Circle Park Drive
- Staff 9 and 9-B flat lot – across from gate 21 of Neyland Stadium, ONLY available on holidays and weekends
All of these paid parking spots are $20 CARD ONLY/ NO CASH. They are first come- first served so the closest ones will fill up quickly for big games.
Concert/ Event Paid Parking For Thompson-Boling Arena
Every concert and event will have slightly different parking options based on size and, of course, how much they think people will shell out for parking. Some events will sell prepaid parking passes for the garages and flat lots closest to the arena. So you might want to google your specific concert or event for parking info but this is a general list of the usual options.
Parking options right next to Thompson-Boling Arena:
- G 10 garage – big garage on Neyland Drive between Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena
- G 3 & 4 garage – underground garages off of Lake Loudoun Blvd
- G 5 & S 30 flat lots – the parking lots on top of G3 & G4 and around Andy Holy Tower across from Thompson-Boling
- C 8 flat lot – the large lot on the corner of Lake Loudoun and Volunteer Blvd
Parking a little farther away:
- G 16 garage – big garage on Volunteer Blvd across from the music building and the Rock
- S 9 A flat lot – small parking lot next to the Architecture Building on Volunteer Blvd
- Circle Park – parking spots around the circle of these buildings behind the Torchbearer
- S 30 A flat lot – small parking lot between the Torchbearer and Neyland Stadium
- S 9 flat lot – large flat lot across from Gate 21 of Neyland Stadium
- G 1 & G 2 – underground garages under McClung Tower on Volunteer Blvd
- S 7 flat lot – small flat lot on Neyland Drive across from the UT Boathouse
Expect to pay $20 or more for parking in these places. To see where each of these parking spots are located, look at UTK’s official parking map that has all of the garages and flat lots labeled.
Pre-Paid/ Premium Parking For Concert Or Event
Some of the options listed above will be sold as premium, pre- pay parking passes for large concerts and events. Which garages and parking lots will be sold pre-paid parking varies for each event as it depends on how the promoter works it out with UT.
Very generally speaking though, the G3 and G4 underground parking garages on Lake Loudoun Blvd and the flat lots of C6, S30, and G5 above those garages are usually premium parking if the event offers it. Also, the large G10 parking garage between Thompson-Boling Arena and Neyland Stadium can be used for premium parking.
Hopfully your ticket will specify where the premium parking is if you bought it. If not, you might try googling “premium parking + your event” close to your event date and hopefully they will have released the parking plan.
Or you can just drive to Thompson- Bowling Arena and follow the signs for pre-paid/ premium parking. Chances are it will be one of the garages and flat lots adjacent to the arena. Go early to make sure you find your spot as the police often change traffic lanes to accommodate pedestrians and shuttle buses.
The paid parking spots will usually open to concert/ event parking after 4 pm on weekdays and 4 hours before the event on weekends.
Don’t forget your free parking options that were covered above:
- Large concerts and events will have free parking at UT’s Ag Campus and shuttle buses running back and forth to the arena.
- The G 17 parking garage on Terrance Ave is free after 6 pm and on weekends but remember you can’t leave your car overnight.
- The White Avenue Garage is also offered free for some concerts and events. It’s a bit of a walk to the arena but not terrible.
What To Know About Rideshare (Uber/ Lyft)
- Pickup/ Drop Point – C 1 gravel lot behind the baseball stadium
If you want to skip the parking hassle all together and just catch an Uber, you can absolutely do that. UT has appointed the gravel C 1 lot behind the baseball stadium as the pickup/ dropoff point for rideshares. You can see it on the parking maps for the Mens and Womens Basketball Games I inserted in the blog earlier. (I don’t know why it isn’t labeled on the concert parking maps.)
DO NOT use Thompson-Boling Arena as your pick-up/ dropoff point for your Uber. With the traffic changes before and after games, your driver won’t be able to get to you. Tell the driver to come in via Volunteer Blvd to Todd Helton Dr to the C1 parking lot to avoid the worst of the traffic.
Traffic Advice
My biggest advice is – be patient. Thompson-Boling Arena holds 21,678 people and you just can’t get that many people and their cars headed home without some traffic.
We generally take our time getting out of Thompson-Boling Arena, especially if the game was competitive and everyone stayed until the end. Go to the bathroom, watch the post-game stuff, and mosey back to the car.
When arriving at Thompson-Boling Arena, the UT police ask that you enter campus through Joe Johnson Dr (the Ag Campus entrance) or via Volunteer Blvd from Cumberland Ave. They are trying to avoid everyone coming into campus via Lake Loudoun Blvd right by the arena and causing huge backups on Neyland Drive.
Leaving Thompson-Boling, you just have to follow the general flow of traffic. The police will have lanes reversed and cones set out to maximize exiting onto Neyland Drive and Volunteer Blvd so don’t try to go your own way. The hardest part is usually just getting out of the parking garage or flat lot. Once you are on the main roads, it goes pretty swiftly.
I do like parking on the Ag Campus because it is an easy exit onto Neyland Drive and then onto Alcoa Highway. Getting on the shuttle bus from Thompson-Boling Arena can be a bit of a wait but no worse than trying to get out of the parking garages.
Bonus Option! Park Downtown and Make A Night Of It
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If you want to have a great meal before your concert or basketball game, you can always park in one of the free parking garages in downtown Knoxville and walk to Thompson-Boling Arena (or Uber if you are wearing your fancy concert outfit with killer shoes).
For a complete list of all of the available parking options in downtown Knoxville, read The Lowdown On Parking In Downtown Knoxville.
It is about 1.5 miles from Market Square to Thompson-Boling Arena and will take you about 30 minutes to walk it. I do this regularly for UT football games and it isn’t too bad and there are greenways and sidewalks the entire way.
And to make a whole night of it, spend the night in one of Knoxville’s fabulous downtown hotels. We like the Embassy Suites and the Hyatt Place but truly any of the downtown hotels are pretty cool. The Oliver Hotel and Hotel Cleo are lovely boutique hotels if you want something different from a chain hotel and The Tennessean is a luxury stay worth every penny. The Graduate is on UT’s campus and leans into the Vols theme in a big way (so much orange and so much fun).
To read in depth reviews of all of our favorite places, read A Local’s Opinion of the Best Places to Stay Near Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena
For The RV People In The Crowd
The Knoxville Civic Coliseum allows RV parking. This is the only place I know of near Thompson-Boling Arena that has RV parking.
They have special weekend packages during football season but you can park on top of Garage C year-round. Full hookups (water/sewer/ electric) are $65 a night, electric only is $65 a night, and non-hookup spots are $40 a night. Payment is card only.
Water and sewer are often turned off from Dec- April because of freezing temperatures. To see more, check out the Civic Coliseum’s parking page.
Helpful Resources
UT’s parking website for events at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Final Thoughts
I hope this makes getting to Thompson-Boling Arena super easy for you and leaves you more brain space for enjoying the game or concert. I know UT’s campus can be confusing and especially with all of the construction lately, the parking options and traffic rules seem to change season to season or even game to game. But it is all worth it to see the Vols in action!
Happy Trails And Go Vols! – Amanda
I’m glad I found this blog because information at other sites is lacking or confusing. However, I’m still not clear on where EXACTLY the prepaid lots are. I’ve never been to TB but have purchased concert tix with reserved/prepaid parking, but the only instructions are to follow signs for prepaid lots. Not very helpful for a first-timer. It would be nice to know which lots are prepaid in order to plan the drive.
Hi thanks for commenting! Does your ticket specify which garage or parking lot your pre-paid parking is in? Every concert is different based on what parking lots they buy from UT and then turn around and re-sell. Very generally speaking though, the pre-paid parking is usually the G10 garage (off of Neyland Drive, between the arena and Neyland Stadium stadium), and the underground garages of G3 and G4 on Lake Loudoun Blvd. Also the flat lots on top of those garages are often pre-paid – G5, C6 and S30. You should be able to google your specific garage if they told where you will be parking or check out this map from UT parking map UT
If they didn’t tell you where exactly the pre-paid lots are, I would drive to Thompson- Boling Arena and then follow the signs for pre-paid parking- my guess is that the pre-paid lots will be the G3 and G4 garages on Lake Loudoun Blvd adjacent to the arena and they will have signs up pointing the way. As always, go early to avoid the worst of the traffic snarls, especially as you are parking close to the arena.
I hope this helps and you have a great concert- Amanda