KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The party is just getting started in downtown Kansas City, and at the center of it all is the city's newest and brightest attraction. The Sprint Center and Power & Light District are attracting millions of people downtown for the first time ever.

But as great as the music and dancing is, the party has ended on a sour note for some of the visitors.

For months, the KCTV5 News Investigative Team watched private parking lots surrounding the Power & Light District. They never had to wait long to see vehicles being towed.

One night, an undercover producer found business booming at a lot at East Truman Road and McGee Street. One tow truck driver loaded up 13 vehicles and took them to a temporary storage lot about a mile down the road.

According to Missouri law, the lot must have a fence and be a secure and lighted storage lot. The Investigative Team didn't see that, but it did see unsuspecting Power & Light patrons shelling out cash for their vehicles.

At another private parking lot, vehicle owners learning their vehicles had been towed were less than pleased.

"They said that they towed it and it would be $250 to get it out," said Sara Fletcher.

Scott Sanford said, "And if we don't do it tonight, it's going to cost us more."

For Chris, who didn’t want his last name reported, his evening out to see ZZ Top at the Midland Theater cost him $140. He had no idea a mistake in parking would cost him more than twice that.

"It was a cash-only business, and they needed $370," Chris said. "You know my wife was kind of upset. I felt kind of foolish, actually."

But he said that foolish feeling was quickly replaced by anger when he went to pick up his vehicle the next day.

"I thought that the fine was high, was excessive and the guy told me that ... that they were in line with everybody else, every other tow truck company," Chris said.

Night after night, event after event, KCTV5's Investigative Team saw the same thing.

Chris got caught at a lot at West Truman Road and Baltimore Avenue. One night, KCTV5 found an attendant collecting parking fees. The person collecting the money said he was working for the person who owned the building and that it was $10 to park there.

Just weeks later, the Investigative Team watched as at least five tow trucks simultaneously converged on the very same lot.

"If the city wants people to come down here and enjoy themselves, this is the kind of shenanigans stuff that's going to kill this place," Sanford said.

On the night of Nov. 13, the band Coldplay rocked a packed house inside the Sprint Center. Outside, a crowd gathered.

KCTV5 watched as at least five tow trucks descended simultaneously on the parking at West Truman Road and Baltimore Avenue. In a matter of minutes, a small army of tow operators was busy hooking its prey. It took them less than an hour to empty the lot.

Dennis Battle said he was the plant manager for the business that owned the lot. Battle said they didn't tow cars every weekend and that there was no parking allowed in the lot.

Signs say so. They're required to be displayed by law, which even specifies that they must be at least 17-by-22 inches in size with lettering no smaller than 1 inch. The signs weren't see by most of the people KCTV5 News met later in the night looking for their vehicles.

Fletcher said she didn't see the signs. Had she, "we would not have parked here," she said.

Marquita Ryan wasn't late. She was there for her first day of work as a cook in a Power & Light District restaurant. She parked her vehicle in the lot at 8 a.m., "because this is where I was told to park." When she got back to her vehicle that night, it was gone.

Mike Schumacher is Kansas City, Mo.'s, public safety liaison.

"I think it is unfortunate and something that I am confident we’ll be able to get resolved," Schumacher said.

He said the revitalized downtown was creating some growing pains when it came to parking.

"This issue is relatively new to Kansas City, where certain tow companies have come downtown to establish less-than-desirable business practices, or predatory towing if you will," Schumacher said.

But, he said, new ordinances are being drafted to respond to patron complaints, including how much people are paying to get their vehicles back.

"Fees are literally all over the map, but the highest posted fee that I have seen so far is $450 for the tow, which in our opinion, is exorbitant,” Schumacher said.

There is no cap, but the new legislation will set those rates at a reasonable price.

"I realize I was wrong to park in an illegal zone," Chris said, “but $370, it just seemed ridiculous.”

"It just makes you think that someone is trying to take advantage of people, and that's the part that bothered me," Chris said.

For Ryan, her first day's paycheck and then some will end up going to a tow company.

"Yep, this is what I get," Ryan said.

The city expects the new parking ordinances to be in place in about a month. It will also require "No Parking" signs to be larger.

As for exactly how many vehicles have been towed from the area, no one seems to know, even though each time a vehicle is taken, a form is required to be filed with police.

“If we want Kansas City, if we want downtown to pull this off and be successful, you know, treat people a little bit better,” Chris said.

Here are some tips to keep from getting towed.

Park in Power & Light administered garages.

Get a parking ticket validated from any of the district businesses and pay a flat fee of $2.

Also, be extra cautious and watch for signs. Don’t assume that it’s OK to park somewhere just because others are doing it.

Finally, if you think you were the victim of predatory towing, contact the city’s Neighborhood and Community Services Department.