City may look to corporate sponsorship to raise revenue

"Helen Hunt Falls - brought to you by Starbucks"

"See Pikes Peak in your Chevrolet"

Discussions about corporate sponsorship of city assets are in the early stages, so visitors to landmarks such as Helen Hunt Falls and Pikes Peak won't be seeing either of those signs any time soon

But Colorado Springs hopes to sell advertising space on city properties, possibly as soon as the second half of this year, said Paul Butcher, director of the city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department.

The sponsorship deals could bring in up to $5 million annually, city officials estimate.

The advertising could include such longtime agreements for raising revenue such as the naming rights on a stadium to approaches that few would be familiar with, such as corporate logos on police cars.

Butcher emphasized Monday it will be "tasteful" - no tobacco products and no racy material. Some city landmarks, such as Garden of the Gods, will be off-limits.

City officials picked California-based Active Network to examine options for corporate sponsorship under a $50,000 contract.

Active Network told city workers it would aggressively sell advertising on city assets without appearing to "sell out the city," according to a city report on the plan.

Money to pay for the initial contract will come from city enterprises, separate agencies such as Colorado Springs Utilities that are designed to run only on fees they get from customers. That money would be paid back from money generated by the advertising.

Active Network predicts $1.5 million in the first year and up to $5 million annually by the end of the third year.

Colorado Springs has had limited advertising on city property for many years. Perhaps the most visible is the ads on the sides of city buses, run by Mountain Metropolitan Transit. The bus agency also sells ads inside the buses, on bus shelters and on bus benches. Those ads are expected to bring in nearly $200,000 this year.

Other examples include corporate sponsorship of scoreboards, or signs on outfield fences at city sports fields. Some T-shirts designating participants in athletic programs have also carried company logos.

"What would be wrong with having the Nike swoosh on it?" Butcher said, referring to event T-shirts.

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Contact the writer: 636-0187 or perry.swanson@gazette.com