The Editorial Board of the Connecticut Post is siding with the management of the Webster Bank Arena that wants to erect a state-of-the-art electronic billboard in the face of opposition from a billboard competitor. Editorial follows:
The city-owned Webster Bank Arena, sitting next to I-95 in Bridgeport, wants to trumpet its fare and sell space on a billboard to be erected there.
What is the problem?
Putting up the billboard requires approval from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, and the commission is scheduled to consider the request at a meeting on Nov. 19.
It’s perfectly understandable that an advertising company with a billboard about a half-mile away isn’t going to be thrilled about the competition, but that’s no reason to deny the Arena its right to speak.
That the requested billboard would be a state-of-the-art electronic model, capable of flashing a new image every 10 seconds, is an incidental consideration.
Lamar Advertising, a prominent national outdoor advertising company, operates an electronic board about a half-mile away and has vowed to fight the petition.
We’d be more concerned about the distraction of blinking billboards to drivers on I-95 than we are to the complaints about competition, and the state Department of Transportation will get to weigh in on the proposal if it clears the Planning and Zoning board.
If a billboard is going to aid the Arena in its operations and perhaps raise some additional revenue that ultimately benefits the city, so much the better.
Now, if the planners feel there are other reasons why a billboard is improper, so be it. But complaints from a competitor shouldn’t be an impediment.
Steven Auerbach // Nov 13, 2012 at 8:37 am
The new signage for the Webster Bank Arena is a fantastic idea. This is an entertainment complex and Ball Park. It should be big and bold and scream for people to come to downtown Bridgeport. Not only would the Arena benefit, but all downtown restuarants as well as city image. Let’s get this city into the 21st century. To bring up the Mayor and his educational initiative is just totally inappropriate and will keep Bridgeport in the dark. His initiative may have failed, but he knows the future of the city is in the hands of education. Finch knows economic development would happen at a quicker pace if our schools were a cut above. Back to the signage, I would hope the zoning board approves this simply because it just seems like a perfect proposal for our entertainment complex. How great to be driving on I95 and seeing a brilliant sign touting upcoming events in the Park City. Let’s keep the politics out of this and keep reality in check.
Steve: I’m with you my man but let’s not have the sucker scream too much. These new billboards can be enormously effective, maybe too effective, at distracting drivers.
Steve–You are so right and so wrong on this. If this were to be a digital board just to advertise events at the WBA, I would have no quarrel with your reasoning. The city is not following its own regs and now wants to change the rules with a text amendment worded similarly like the Charter Question.
Digital billboards are the wave of the future. If the Arena wants to erect one along with their digital marquee ballyhooing their events, so be it! This is spot zoning similar to your feelings of Mario’s previous application to change his restaurant’s zone.
For Finch to flip out and off a National Company that all they care about is their profits is pretty scary. Lamar bought out an almost century old Bridgeport business in Murphy Sign Company. They maintain a sales and structural business in Bridgeport, pay property taxes to Bridgeport and quite frankly should be allowed to exist in Bridgeport with a level playing field. Lamar has been a very good corporate citizen to Bridgeport and they could list a litany of saints if they wanted to rationalize like the Arena and others tried to do in today’s paper.
This is about the City Zoning Regs! Nothing more and nothing less!!!
Full disclosure purposes–I love the Arena!
In this case I’d say change the zoning regulation. Unlike the Testo’s Restaurant situation that would have been damaging to thousands of property owners and taxpayers to benefit one family. The Arena is situated perfectly to help benefit the entire city and local businesses. I have nothing against the Testa family and I love their food. I have nothing against the Lamar signage company. I believe in this city and somewhere along the line we have to start changing the Karma of the city if we want to compete. We need to build on successes whenever they present themselves. I believe this billboard will benefit the Arena and that is my hope. I do believe some of these digital billboards may present some distractions but so does graffiti on vacant buildings reminding us of our failures. Let there be bright lights in a city going through a revitalization.
Karma? Did you hear about the Buddhist who asked the hot dog vendor “To please make me One with Everything?”
I loved the Linda McMahon for U.S. Senate ad that was on the Arena’s outdoor marquee. 🙂
Once again Finch is telling businesses that pay taxes here to hit the road. Finch has to go.
Whatever happened to the Magic show that was supposed to take place across the street? Wasn’t part of that fantasy looking out at Harbor Yard and watching a ballgame from your living room window?
Would people want to live in Magic Johnson’s entertainment/retail/commercial/residential complex if they are going to be staring at a flashing billboard out their windows 24/7?
Or did the Magic Show become a disappearing act and we have now decided as a city this lot will permanently remain a parking lot?
This is what always happens in B’port. Shortsighted money grab.
So is this supposed to be the overriding rule when it comes to P & Z? If the city of Bridgeport profits from a zone change we should simply go ahead with it and ignore the city’s other plans or the residents’ quality of life?
And speaking of shortsighted money grabs, I am sure the Mayor will go out of his way to try to explain what will turn out to be a major income maker for the arena and a pittance to the city.
So if everyone thinks this is all about promoting Bridgeport, should the P & Z add a requirement only Bridgeport-based businesses and/or venues can advertise on the board?
Let’s hear a response from the pro-board people on this suggestion.
Does the Arena and its subletted food operator pay personal business property tax to the city?
I’ll bet Steve Auerbach had wonderful things to say about the Magic Man’s plans also.
Hey Steve, have you gone shopping at Bass Pro Shops yet?
Grin Reaper, I did have great things to say about the Magic Johnson project. I was there for the horse and pony show. That was a Mayor Fabrizi proposal. It was sad it faded into another broken dream. A lot of hype and disappointment with that project. People did not do their homework and apparently were caught up in the celebrity of it all. I am not sure what this has to do with the Arena Marquee. I love camping so I am hoping to go to Bass Pro. If that plan falls through I will be one very unhappy camper. I am a forever hopeful and real cheerleader for this city. It would be nice to have more people like me in support of it all and absolutely nothing personal to gain.
“We’ve donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable organizations over the years.”–Howard Saffan.
Does Saffan think the PAC to raise money on the ballot question was a charitable organization?
“The city has an incredible amount of money tied up in this arena,” Saffan said. “It’s in their interest to at least break even.”
In September, Saffan told the commission the arena lost more than $1 million in the last decade.
“The arena was a business that was failing,” Saffan said, noting that his staff lined up 50 more events in their first 14 months of management.
So was Saffan promised this billboard from the get go? It would seem that way if he is so desperate to get it up.
Maybe the $14K wasn’t as much of an inducement but more of a reminder.
Read more: www .ctpost.com/local/article/Sound-Tigers-Finch-deny-deal-to-OK-sign-4031068.php
*** Pay to Play and Advertise Away! ***