Culver City, in western Los Angeles County, California, is surrounded by Los Angeles and is home to MGM Studios (now commonly known as Sony Pictures Studios) where countless famous motion pictures have been filmed over the years. Given not just the wealth and fame of the people living and working in and near Culver City, but the number of people traveling there as tourists, it's no wonder that a valet parking service in Culver City is as important to most residents as local water and electricity services.

You've seen Culver City's streets in hundreds of films and television shows like “Grease,” “The Hogan Family,” “The Wonder Years,” “Matchstick Men” and the movie “Bewitched.” So stars like Nicolas Cage, Will Ferrell, John Travolta and Nicole Kidman have spent time working and filming in the studios and streets of Culver City. Our wealthy movie stars are used to five-star treatment, so a valet parking service is something they expect and count as part and parcel of their daily lives.

While the studios are of less importance to Culver City today than they were in their heyday, downtown Culver City has undergone major growth in the last 20 years, with major shopping centers and art galleries available for residents and tourists. Restaurants operated by nationally famous chefs, wine bars and clubs pull people from all over the Los Angeles area. Downtown Culver City has become so popular, in fact, that traffic and parking have become a real cause for concern among city government.

Just three months ago, local officials instituted a valet parking service for downtown Culver City that's available from 6 pm to 2 am, 7 night a week. The Downtown Business Association is reportedly thrilled to offer the service, which consists of a 20-person valet team that's spread out over 3 stations in the downtown area. The valet parking service isn't free, however the charge is minimal at five dollars and fifty cents.

The new valet parking service for downtown Culver City is in addition to any valet services already offered by specific restaurants and attractions, and most of them already had those services in place for their patrons. Given the population, that a valet service wasn't readily available there before this year is a surprise, though the individual establishments have provided well for their clientèle. Culver City is a wealthy area, one that requires car travel or public transportation to navigate with any efficiency at all, so most of the residents there are used to services and amenities most Americans couldn't even dream about.

A valet parking service almost everywhere they go is one of those amenities. Stars and wealthy movie moguls are used to having doors opened, as well as having their cars parked, so in Culver City and the surrounding areas a valet parking service is just another part of an ordinary day for residents because of their place in society. And it's all but a necessity for almost anyone living and working near Los Angeles.