Kamloops Blazers fans who want to park close to the action will have to ante up $249 to do so.

The City is charging that much to park in the lot north of Interior Savings Centre for the Blazers’ 36 regular-season games, plus two playoff games. That amounts to about $6.55 a game.

City facilities and business operations supervisor Jeff Putnam said Monday there were about 165 stalls available. But after he made mention of the deal on air during a Blazers game last week, 130 of those spots were sold.

Anyone else attending the game can seek out event parking for $4 a game at the Heritage House lot, or park on downtown streets.

Meanwhile, the ISC is getting spiffed up as the new hockey season begins.

Putnam said the installation of handrails throughout the ISC is almost complete. City council gave the $175,000 expenditure the nod during its last budget discussions.

And for anyone who wants to dine in luxury before a game or concert, the Rivers Room in the ISC is getting upgrades to its food and beverage menu as well as its atmosphere.

Putnam said leather couches and big-screen TVs are being installed in the Rivers Room, where customers can have a steak and sip wine before or during an event.

Even those sitting in the cheaper seats will see a difference, as new screens are being installed along the concourse so anyone waiting in line at the concession stands can still watch what’s going on while getting food or drinks.

Those changes are costing $150,000, but with the City getting 20 per cent of all food and beverage sales in the Interior Savings Centre, the investment will be recovered, he said.