Over the past several years, privately owned parking lots that used to be free so people could patronize restaurants, shops, bars and other businesses now are charging rates ranging from $9 to $15 per hour.
Over the last two years, privately owned lots, previously free, moved to a paid parking system two weeks before VinFast Ironman World Championship. In 2022 it was the Kona Inn and Shopping Village lot off Hualalai Road and this year it’s Coconut Grove Marketplace.
The race will take place Saturday where triathletes with swim, bike and run for a grueling 140.6 miles from Kailua Bay in downtown Kona to the top of Hawai‘i Island in Hawī and finish where they started.