GREENSBORO — Expect heavy traffic later today along High Point Road as thousands head to the coliseum for SuperJam, the annual multi-act hip-hop concert. SuperJam is expected to draw from 12,000 to 14,000 people to the Greensboro Coliseum.
Traffic congestion is anticipated on High Point Road from the coliseum to Holden Road and on Holden Road from High Point Road to Patterson Street, Greensboro police said. Last year, officers reported heavy traffic on West Wendover Avenue from Norwalk Street to Bridford Parkway and downtown on Elm and Greene streets.
In previous years, the concert has drawn complaints about noise and traffic from neighbors. Business owners have complained about trash left behind in parking lots up and down High Point Road by people who tailgate after the show.
Coliseum officials said they have received fewer complaints in the past several years after police began focusing on people cruising along High Point Road and working with business owners to keep their parking lots off limits to tailgaters.
Business owner John Hiatt said last year seemed to be better. But he still plans to get to work early Saturday to clean up his parking lot at Remember When Records, which is several blocks from the coliseum.
“You just have a lot of people who are congregating. You get a lot of trash, food. They trash up the parking lot,” he said.
Tailgaters have torn down the yellow tape he has used to try to block his parking lot, he said.
Resident Elsie Nall, 80, said the biggest issue for her is traffic congestion. She lives on Ellington Street, which is next to the coliseum, and plans to stay home tonight.
About 300 officers have been assigned to the show, said police spokeswoman Susan Danielsen.
“We think that we were very successful last year,” she said.
Police responded to 885 calls for service across the city last year on the day of SuperJam, data shows. By comparison, there were 691 calls when the Comedy Tour was at the coliseum and 674 calls on a Friday with no coliseum event, both from earlier this year.
The data did not break out times or locations for the calls.
Police will mostly work after the concert lets out, managing cruising along High Point Road, said Scott Johnson, deputy director of the coliseum.
“It’s part of the nature of the event,” Johnson said. “You want to hang out. They cruise up and down High Point Road.
“You can’t correct that. But we can manage it.”
Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com
Who: SuperJam artists include Waka Flocka Flame, Young Jeezy, Travis Porter, Lloyd, Ace Hood, Jeremih, Big Sean and Young Chris.
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Lee St.
Cost: Tickets start at $10
More: Meeting Room 7 in the Special Events Center will be a free “parents room” opening at 6 p.m. for those who want to wait for their children attending the concert. There also will be a drop-off site at the entrance to the ACC Hall of Champions along High Point Road.
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