Downtown Denver is trying to win you back with $5 parking all summer

Downtown Denver has a pitch for you to come back… They’ll make it cheap to park.

The city launched a pilot program Monday (June 29) called “Mayor’s Park $5,” a partnership between Mayor Mike Johnston’s office and parking reservation app SpotHero that makes up to 5,000 downtown parking spots available for a flat $5. The deal runs through the end of September and covers a zone stretching from Wazee Street to Broadway and 14th Street to 20th Street — essentially the heart of downtown.

The $5 rate is available morning to late afternoon on Mondays and Fridays, every weeknight after 4 p.m. and for up to 12 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. SpotHero is also waiving its 99-cent booking fee with promo code MILEHIGH5.

“This program is a win for everyone,” Johnston said in a statement. “It makes parking easier to find and afford, it encourages people to enjoy downtown, and it fills up spaces that might otherwise sit empty.” The key detail: the city isn’t spending any money to bring the prices down. Johnston’s office proposed the idea and SpotHero partnered with lot operators to make it happen. SpotHero, a Chicago-based company, typically lists Denver spots in the $10 to $15 range.

The program is a direct response to a downtown that’s still struggling to regain its footing after the pandemic. According to CBRE, downtown Denver had a 38.9% office vacancy rate in the first quarter of 2026. Commercial closures and restaurant shutdowns have left visible gaps along the 16th Street Mall and surrounding blocks — just this week, Rock Bottom Brewery and the original 1Up Arcade Bar both closed their downtown locations. On the brighter side, the city has reported a 64% reduction in street homelessness from 2023 to 2026, the lowest on record since county-specific data became available in 2017.

Spots can be reserved through the SpotHero app or at spothero.com. The promo code will change throughout the summer, so check back if MILEHIGH5 has expired.