Paid Parking In Lawton: What You Need To Know

One of the biggest scams is having to pay for parking, especially when it's a parking lot and you have to use a QR code to pay. You mostly see these types of parking lots in Oklahoma City or Tulsa. But Lawton residents have noticed that pay for parking signs have recently showed up on Lee Boulevard.

At the corner of Southeast Lee Boulevard and SE 1st Street, the lot where Leo & Ken's used to be, now has multiple pay for parking signs. The signs state they're with a company called Premium Parking and feature a QR code with a location code for payment to park in the lot. The signs also state that the area is "photo enforced 24/7" and violators will either be "invoiced, immobilized or towed."

Who installed Premium Parking on the Leo & Ken's lot in Lawton?

According to its website, Premium Parking is a technology platform and parking operator that is outsourced to various businesses, including municipalities, venues, office buildings, local and corporate businesses, like Target, Whole Foods, Marriot and more.

It is unclear what entity in Lawton is utilizing Premium Parking at the lot on Lee Boulevard. The signage only states how you can pay to park in the lot with Premium Parking.

Premium Parking's Market President for Oklahoma, Robert Phifer, who is based out of Tulsa, stated that "Premium Parking was brought to Lawton by a local small business owner who was looking to effectively manage those parking on their property." Phifer also stated that Premium Parking is not able to reveal their client's personal details.

Although Premium Parking's main use is for helping with parking management, Phifer noted that part of the company's management includes "assisting ownership with maintaining the property, keeping it clean and safe for those looking to park there."

READ MORE: Why Is Lawton Seeing An Influx Of Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troopers?

Lawton's new Premium Parking location is listed on Google Maps.

Since Leo & Ken's closure, it is no longer listed on Google Maps. In its place is the parking lot, Premium Parking - P4632. So far, the lot has two five star reviews, with one stating that it's a "great spot for truck parking."

This area of town isn't uncommon for semitrucks as Leo & Ken's was a popular spot for truck drivers to grab a bite to eat and have a safe place to park right off I-44. On the lot's official Premium Parking webpage, it only lists daily parking costs for heavy trucks. Costs include $15 for 24 hours and $30 for two days.

Not many Lawton residents utilize the parking lot, so the charge for parking probably won't effect any local drivers. And based on the Google Reviews, it looks like the Premium Parking signs haven't deterred all truck drivers from parking there.