Miami-Dade Parks Announces Transit Information for 2012 Sony Ericsson Open

© Sony Ericsson Open

MIAMI-DADE PARKS ANNOUNCES TRANSIT, PARKING, DROP-OFF, BICYCLE, AND PEDESTRIAN INFORMATION FOR 2012 SONY ERICSSON OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Enhancements to Make Event More Fan Friendly For Cyclists And Pedestrians

MIAMI, Fla. (www.sonyericssonopen.com) – The Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Department is proud to welcome the return of the Sony Ericsson Open Tennis Tournament to Miami-Dade Parks’ Crandon Tennis Center, located on beautiful Key Biscayne, March 19 – April 1, 2012.   In cooperation with the Sony Ericsson Open/IMG, The Village of Key Biscayne, the Key Biscayne Police Department, the Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department, the Florida Department of Transportation, and the City of Miami, and in the interest of enhanced public safety at this year’s event, Miami-Dade Parks is making the following announcements concerning traffic, transit, parking, drop-offs, bicycles, and pedestrians for residents and visitors attending the event:

Pedestrians – For greater patron safety, the South Gate will not be accessible to pedestrians.  Tennis fans walking to the Tournament from the Village of Key Biscayne will be directed by Key Biscayne Police to proceed along the east side of Crandon Boulevard, along its bike path adjacent to Lot 4.  The path will lead to the Tournament’s main-entrance crosswalk, where patrons will cross Crandon Boulevard to enter the event.  Pedestrians will not be permitted to walk north of Harbor Drive on the southbound side of Crandon Boulevard.

Drop-Off/Pick-up/Will Call – The Tournament drop-off, pick-up and ticket Will Call area will be strictly limited to the North Gate/Lot 6 entrance. 

Traffic - The public should expect heavier than normal traffic along Rickenbacker Causeway during the Tournament due to larger than normal crowds.  Fans should note that SunPass is not accepted at the Causeway’s toll booth.  Visit www.511southflorida.com for traffic updates. 

Transit – Bus service via the popular Route B Bus, also referenced as Route 102, covering the Brickell Metrorail Station, Brickell Business District, Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami Seaquarium, Crandon Park, City of Key Biscayne, and Cape Florida State Park, will make regular stops at the main entrance of the Tournament when heading toward the Village of Key Biscayne.  It will also make regular stops across the street from the main entrance, along the east side of Crandon Boulevard, on its return route to Brickell.  Public transportation information, including bus schedules, routes and fares, can be found at http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/ or by calling 311. 

Taxi Service – Taxi service will be available with pick-up/drop-off located north of the Crandon Park Office, between Lots 2 and 3, where shuttle buses enter/exit the park.  Signage will be posted.

Parking – Parking lots close two hours after the last match.  Shuttle bus service to-and-from the All Day General Admission Parking Lot on Arthur Lamb Road ends one hour after the last match.  During the Tournament, parking will be available at the following locations:

• All Day General Admission Parking – $12-$20/Vehicle – Located at Arthur Lamb Road, across from the Seaquarium.  Free shuttle services will be provided from Arthur Lamb Road to Parking Lot 3 every 15 minutes until one hour after the last match.

• Parking Lot 1 – Beach Patrons Parking Only – Located at the northernmost entrance to Key Biscayne after crossing the bridge beyond the Rickenbacker Causeway, this lot is strictly reserved for beach patron parking only – NO EVENT PARKING PERMITTED. 

• Parking Lot 2 – Accessible Parking – Located at the north entrance of Crandon Park, all accessible parking spaces for the disabled are located in this lot to patrons with a tournament ticket and a valid handicap decal. 

• Parking Lot 2 – VIP Parking After 5PM - $30/Vehicle - Located at the north entrance of Crandon Park, this is the closest lot to the stadium.  Fee is per day, no re-entry allowed. Subject to availability.

• Parking Lot 3 – Box Holder Parking - This lot is reserved for Box Holders. 

• Parking Lot 4 – Motorcycle & Golf-Cart Parking - $10 - Located at the south entrance of Crandon Park, this is the only lot allowing motorcycle and golf-cart parking at a cost of $10.  Fee is per day, no re-entry allowed.

• Bicycles – Lot 4 – Bike Parking is FREE - Located in Lot 4 by its main exit, diagonally across from the Tournament’s main-entrance crosswalk.

• Prohibited Parking – Overnight parking is prohibited at Crandon Park.  Parking is prohibited at Calusa Park on Key Biscayne.  Commercial trucks are prohibited from parking in all public lots.  RV’s are not permitted at Crandon Park.

• RV Parking - RV’s are restricted and may only utilize Arthur Lamb Road for parking.

ABOUT THE SONY ERICSSON OPEN: The 2012 Sony Ericsson Open will be played March 19-April 1 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami. The two-week combined event, founded by Butch Buchholz in 1985, is owned and operated by IMG. The Sony Ericsson Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men's and women's tennis players in the world. In 2011 Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal for his second Sony Ericsson Open title, while Victoria Azarenka knocked off Maria Sharapova to capture her second title in Miami. For ticket information, call (305) 442-3367 or visit the website at www.SonyEricssonOpen.com.

ABOUT SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS: Sony Mobile Communications is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation, a leading global innovator of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for both the consumer and professional markets. Through its Xperia™ smartphone portfolio, Sony Mobile Communications delivers the best of Sony technology, premium content and services, and easy connectivity to Sony’s world of networked entertainment experiences. For more information: www.sonymobile.com

ABOUT IMG: IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging:  IMG College; IMG’s Joint Ventures in China, Brazil and India; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academies; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing.  More information is available at www.imgworld.com.

ABOUT MIAMI-DADE PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACES DEPARTMENT (MDPROS): Nationally accredited, a three-time winner of the National Gold Medal Award, 2009 Florida Governor’s Sterling Award winner for excellence in management and operations, MDPROS is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 263 parks and more than 12,848 acres of land.  It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world.  Made up of more than just playgrounds and athletic fields, it also comprises out-of-school, sports-development, and summer-camp programs; programs for seniors and people with disabilities; educational nature centers and nature preserves; environmental restoration efforts; arts and culture programs and events; the renowned Zoo Miami and the Deering Estate at Cutler; the Crandon Tennis Center, home of the Sony Ericsson Open; golf courses; beaches; marinas; campgrounds; pools; and more. For information about MDPROS the public should call 3-1-1 or visit www.miamidade.gov/parks.