“Despite the paid parking there was a very significant increase in visits from 2019 to 2025.”
When Muskegon started paid parking at city beaches in 2019, director of development Jake Eckholm says some expected a drop in attendance, but maybe because of all the parking fee publicity, he says the number of visitors is up.
“Paid parking has actually drawn more visitor ship because of the emphasis on our parking system.”
Before paid parking City manager Jonathan Seyferth says beach operations cost Muskegon half a million a year.
“And one of the objectives of having parking fees at the beach was to cover those costs.”
Last year Seyferth says beach parking revenues totaled almost one point four million, more than enough to cover the now one point one million in expenses.
“We are bringing in more through parking revenue than we are spending out at the beach.”
Beach parking is currently 10 dollars on weekdays, 16 on weekends and 40 for a season pass.
“More and more people outside of the Muskegon metro area starting to find their way here, utilizing that paid parking system and providing revenue for our general fund.”
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