If they didn't charge $1200 for a parking pass at the Ralph, or whatever ridiculous amount it is, they wouldn't have to charge for parking everywhere else in the city of Grand Forks. Looks to me that less than 15% of the parking spaces at the Ralph are being used, so in order to get that mighty dollar they are expanding the area for charged parking.
Either last year or the year before, my wife and I broke down the costs and we found that it would be cheaper to take a taxi from our house to the Ralph and back home than it would be to get a parking pass. Something wrong with that.
Now it costs $65 dollars for a season parking pass in the new expanded area. Why not charge $100 for a pass in the actual Ralph parking lot, then they are getting their cash, and the residents around the Ralph are happy because people aren't crowding their streets, and fans are happy because they only have to walk 100 yards in -30 degree temps.