They say if you build it, they will come.

But if they all come, where will they all park?

It's one of the most asked questions about the new arena site proposed for Lincoln.

Parking spots in Lincoln's Haymarket can be like tickets to a Husker football game -- hard to come by.

"I'm pretty fortunate I got a spot right up front here but yea, I'm usually driving around for 10 to 15 minutes before I can find a spot," said Rod Berry after dropping his quarters in the parking meter.

That's why the city is prepared to pump in $36 million for more parking spaces -- to accommodate arena sized crowds.

"That provides surface parking and the two big garages," said Dick Campbell who is chair of Citizens for Jobs and the Lincoln Haymarket Arena.

When its all said and done, there will be more than 4,000 new parking spots. That's in addition to the 2,800 already within walking distance of the new arena.

That brings the total number of parking stalls to almost 7,000.

But, a recent study conducted by the city in 2009 showed of those 2,800 spaces, nearly 2,000 are already in high demand.

Still, traffic experts working on the project, say parking won't be a problem based on an average of how many arena-goers are expected per car.

"That number is going to range around 2.5 passengers per vehicle so that's how we determine what we need for a parking demand," said Tom Leikam, the transportation leader for Olsson Associates, a design firm that has been working on the arena project with the city.

Two garages will be parked behind a new hotel, mix of retail and residential space about two blocks from the arena.

"Roughly, there's 2,300 new parking stalls planned in that area and I think we're looking at utilizing 1,300 for an arena event," said Leikam.

Employees and people living in the area top the pecking order for the remaining parking.

Right now, getting to all this new parking in the Haymarket would be a challenge.

There are only two ways to get in -- P and Q streets.

That would change with a new road called Arena Drive that would sweep around the backside of the arena. The main entrances into the Haymarket would then be "N" street coming from the south and Salt Creek Roadway from the north.

"What this will do is provide two lanes of inbound traffic to funnel the cars down to the new parking structures and surface lots, as opposed to trying to take it through the congested area of downtown," said Leikam.

A sprawling 1,500 stall parking lot will be built just south of where the Saltdogs hit their homers. Walk across a new pedestrian bridge that will be built, and you're at the arena.

"It will connect into the rear deck of the arena and it will have a rear entrance for you to come in. You'll also have the option of a ramp if you want to go to go down into the Haymarket ahead of the game or after," Leikam explained.

Liekam says the key to making it all work, is making sure cars and people don't cross paths.