Giant LED billboards could generate revenue for Houston - What's Your Point?
HOUSTON - Down at city hall, the drums of war are beginning to beat over a proposal to build 50 giant jumbotrons across Houston on public land.
Mayor Sylvester Turner, in search of a multi-million dollar revenue stream, has requested bids from major billboard providers.
LED Billboards headed for Houston?
Houston's Sunday morning political debate show! The WYP panel talks about the city proposal for essentially jumbo-tron - LED billboards around Houston. Scenic Houston has mobilized against these billboards, the Mayor's office says currently there's nothing before him to consider.
That's raised the alarm of "scenic Houston" - the venerable, well-funded advocacy group which has waged a largely successful four-decade campaign to dramatically reduce so-called "sign blight" in the bayou city.
Scenic Houston Executive Director, Heather Houston explains, " Our sign code is one the most admired in the country so let's not go changing that. It's a very slippery slope. Once you let this company come in and put up 50 LED boards you have to let the other billboard companies do the same and I don't think any of us want our city lit up like a Las Vegas or Times Square."
Fifty two-sided billboards actually is equal to 100 screens. Critics say they never turn off, running 24/7, and represent a distraction to drivers.
The lastwha word we got was that "there was nothing before the mayor", but clearly Scenic Houston is mobilizing for a fight.