Wollongong's Steelers Club is charging some of the most expensive parking rates anywhere in the city - if you drive a crane.
Down the road, motorists pay $4.50 a day for use of a council-owned car park, but at the Steelers Club, crane drivers are up for $2000 a day to use parking spaces at the rear of the club.
A 350-tonne crane was brought in this week to help lift WIN Stadium's western grandstand roof off in two pieces.
The crane needs room to put down its outriggers which protrude from the side of the vehicle and help stabilise the crane, taking up almost three spaces in the parking lot.
WIN Stadium grandstand roof comes down Union official Mick Lane said the costs were forcing crane operators to limit how much of the Steelers car park they used, for fear of running up a large tab.
"Each car park space they consume is being charged by the club at a rate of $2000 a day."
Club chairman Peter Newell would not confirm how much the club was charging crane operators except to say: "There is a commercial arrangement between the builder and the club which they are happy with."
The building company, The Lipman Group, would not comment yesterday, citing a confidentiality agreement imposed by the government.
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