The Timberwolves return for game one of the Western Conference finals Wednesday night, and a handful of parking lots are jacking up their "event rates."
Go ahead and pay $75 for parking if you want.
But parking garages a few blocks away are charging significantly less. Here's a price comparison of a few parking options before this big playoff series for Timberwolves fans.
Diagonally from the Target Center entrance at 100 N. 6th St., the Butler Park surface lot began charging $45 for a full night of parking at 3 p.m. Wednesday. (On nonevent days it is $10 after 5 p.m. on a Wednesday.) This lot will be closed on Friday for game two because the Timberwolves are renting the space for a block party, according to a sign at the pay booth.
The priciest option we saw was $75 for a spot at the Mayo Clinic Square Parking Ramp.
At the Park & Lock surface lot next to the First Avenue nightclub, at the intersection of First Avenue and North 8th Street, the full-night event cost is $35.
To the south, several parking ramps are much cheaper. The Park and Shop ramp at 24 S 8th St., charges $7 for the night if you enter after 4 p.m.
For those willing to walk four blocks, the Northstar ramp at 110 S. 7th St. charges $6 per night if you enter after 4 p.m. and exit by 3 a.m.
Somewhat closer, the ramp at 517 Marquette Av. will cost $10, but it doesn't accept cash, according to a sign.
City-owned garages next door to the arena, such as the Hawthorne Municipal Parking Ramp, are charging a $20 special event rate for the night.
