Cincinnati Bell has signed a naming rights agreement that will transform the Cincinnati Streetcar into the Cincinnati Bell Connector.
Advertising Vehicles - which has the contract with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority to sell the naming rights and advertising on the Cincinnati Streetcar - recently announced the naming rights contract. Revenue from the naming rights will be used to help fund streetcar operations.
Cincinnati Bell will pay $340,000 per year for 10 years under the agreement. The contract will provide the following:
- The Cincinnati Streetcar will be renamed the Cincinnati Bell Connector.
- The look of the streetcars will change, with Cincinnati Bell graphics on the front, back and top, as well as inside the streetcar. The current logo and colors will no longer be used.
- Streetcar stations will be rebranded as Cincinnati Bell stations.
"We look forward to a long and productive partnership with Cincinnati Bell on the Cincinnati Bell Connector and thank them for their continued commitment to the City of Cincinnati," said Harry Black, city manager for the city of Cincinnati. "Similarly, we thank our partners at SORTA and Advertising Vehicles who helped to make this agreement possible."
Cincinnati Bell, which has more than 1,100 employees working Downtown, has supported economic development initiatives throughout its 143-year history. The company is an investor in Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC), REDI Cincinnati, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, Cintrifuse, and other organizations that are helping revitalize Greater Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bell has also built out a fiber network across Greater Cincinnati, which provides the high-speed connectivity that is critical for Fortune 50 companies, mid-market companies, and startups, as well as consumers who are bringing more smart devices into their homes every year.
Ted Torbeck, Cincinnati Bell's chief executive officer, said supporting the Cincinnati Streetcar is another example of the company's commitment to economic development in the region.
"The Cincinnati Bell Connector will play an important role in connecting residents, workers and visitors to their jobs and the tremendous entertainment opportunities from The Banks to Over-the-Rhine," Torbeck said.
"Our mission at Cincinnati Bell is to connect people with what matters, whether it's through our technology, or through projects like the Cincinnati Bell Connector that will enhance Cincinnati's thriving urban core."
"We are thrilled to bring this joint opportunity to fruition for both the City of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Bell, one of the City's finest, longstanding corporate citizens," said Ken Black, co-founder and director of operations for Advertising Vehicles. "This is a major step forward for the financial success of the streetcar project while providing ongoing, outstanding exposure for Cincinnati Bell."
The Cincinnati Bell naming rights contract is in addition to other advertising being sold inside and outside the streetcars. It was recently announced that UC Lindner College of Business, Rhinegeist, Richter & Phillips Jewelers, Four Entertainment Group, Taste of Belgium, Tom + Chee and Kerry Toyota have purchased advertising on the streetcars, and several other advertising contracts are being finalized.
