The Bijou garage downtown has begun offering motorists free all-day parking with purchase of a Majestic 12 movie theater ticket, and more of Broad Street is going to angle parking.
"Hopefully, downtown will benefit," said Tom Dugan, the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority's executive director, about the change at the Bijou garage that CARTA owns.
In the past, motorists who parked in the garage at Second and Broad streets received a three-hour pass if they bought a ticket at the downtown theater.
The Bijou has closed but the Majestic 12 next door opened in 2009, and CARTA, along with downtown officials, has decided to extend the free garage parking for moviegoers to all day.
Kim White, who heads the nonprofit downtown redevelopment group RiverCity Co., said people will stay longer in the central city because of the parking change.
"We developed the Majestic theater to bring more activity and people downtown," she said.
Dale Hurst of Carmike, which operates the Majestic, said paying to park is the biggest complaint theater officials hear.
"I think it will help restaurants. I think it will help business at the theater," said Mr. Hurst. He said the Majestic is "doing real well ... definitely better than the Bijou."
Erik Niel, owner of Easy Bistro restaurant on Broad, said the shift should spur more extended stays by local people.
"People who live here should be more inclined to come down here," he said.
Meanwhile, the city has begun extending angle parking on Broad to the 300, 400 and 500 blocks where there has been parallel parking.
Mrs. White said angle slots will go to Eighth Street.
"It's been a big hit," she said of angle parking on Broad, which began last year on the 200 block.
Mr. Niel said angle parking, which increases the number of spaces on Broad but reduces a lane of traffic, is "a big deal" for eateries in the area. He said angle parking adds 10 to 12 slots per block.