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April 7th, 2005, 02:16 PM
Newsday
April 6, 2005
Port Authority plans name game
BY JOSHUA ROBIN
STAFF WRITER
It may now be dedicated to the nation's first president, but the George Washington Bridge may one day be brought to you by a company like Microsoft.
As a way to raise money while trying to stave off fare and toll hikes, the Port Authority is prepared to sell naming rights to its high-profile facilities, its executive director said yesterday.
"Everything is on the table," said Kenneth J. Ringler Jr. at a breakfast address sponsored by Crain's New York Business.
Authority officials said the George Washington Bridge, Port Authority Bus Terminal and PATH cars are possible places to stick sponsors' names. The board of directors would have to approve.
The Port Authority, which runs the city's two airports, its namesake bus terminal, the PATH train system and all bridges from the city to New Jersey, expects to solicit bids in coming months.
The process would follow a similar plan devised this year by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which recently hired two consultants to find would-be corporate sponsors for that agency's sprawling transit system. No name changes under the MTA proposal have been announced yet.
"Non-traditional advertising and sponsorship marketing opportunities envisioned in this initiative include: advertising licenses, product sponsorships, naming rights, co-op marketing and promotions, and branding partnerships," a Port Authority spokesman wrote in a message to Newsday after Ringler's speech.
Both the MTA and the Port Authority are under pressure to raise funds without hiking fares. The Port Authority last hiked PATH prices in 2001, and Ringler said there are no immediate plans to do it again soon.
The agency also recently announced a $500-million contract to buy 340 new PATH cars.
"Before you increase tolls, you should be looking at everything else that's at your disposal," he said. "We will exhaust all the other resources."
Ringer acknowledged that selling naming rights at some places could draw criticism.
"One of the things that you don't want to do is to go overboard on the advertising, to take away from your facilities," he said. "There's a balance there; I think we can achieve that balance, and hopefully generate a lot of income."
Copyright © 2005, Newsday, Inc.
April 6, 2005
Port Authority plans name game
BY JOSHUA ROBIN
STAFF WRITER
It may now be dedicated to the nation's first president, but the George Washington Bridge may one day be brought to you by a company like Microsoft.
As a way to raise money while trying to stave off fare and toll hikes, the Port Authority is prepared to sell naming rights to its high-profile facilities, its executive director said yesterday.
"Everything is on the table," said Kenneth J. Ringler Jr. at a breakfast address sponsored by Crain's New York Business.
Authority officials said the George Washington Bridge, Port Authority Bus Terminal and PATH cars are possible places to stick sponsors' names. The board of directors would have to approve.
The Port Authority, which runs the city's two airports, its namesake bus terminal, the PATH train system and all bridges from the city to New Jersey, expects to solicit bids in coming months.
The process would follow a similar plan devised this year by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which recently hired two consultants to find would-be corporate sponsors for that agency's sprawling transit system. No name changes under the MTA proposal have been announced yet.
"Non-traditional advertising and sponsorship marketing opportunities envisioned in this initiative include: advertising licenses, product sponsorships, naming rights, co-op marketing and promotions, and branding partnerships," a Port Authority spokesman wrote in a message to Newsday after Ringler's speech.
Both the MTA and the Port Authority are under pressure to raise funds without hiking fares. The Port Authority last hiked PATH prices in 2001, and Ringler said there are no immediate plans to do it again soon.
The agency also recently announced a $500-million contract to buy 340 new PATH cars.
"Before you increase tolls, you should be looking at everything else that's at your disposal," he said. "We will exhaust all the other resources."
Ringer acknowledged that selling naming rights at some places could draw criticism.
"One of the things that you don't want to do is to go overboard on the advertising, to take away from your facilities," he said. "There's a balance there; I think we can achieve that balance, and hopefully generate a lot of income."
Copyright © 2005, Newsday, Inc.