All Public Resources, Including Libraries, Focus On Ordering Large Signs

ERIE COUNTY, NY— As just one example of the way Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz seeks new revenue streams for Erie County (“the County”), today he announced the County will begin selling naming rights to county buildings, facilities, and parks as an effort to raise revenue and build the “Erie County brand.” Partnerships with corporate partners could potentially bring millions of dollars into county coffers while repositioning Erie County as a fun, “hip” place to be, and would be promoted through large, colorful, and highly-visible signage announcing each sponsorship.

“Realizing, during the Buffalo Bills lease negotiations, we were potentially missing out on millions of dollars annually by not monetizing the advertising value of our building and departmental assets, I believe we must seize this revenue stream. It’s high time that Erie County got into the naming rights game for all county facilities and even individual departments, and I think it will be a move that pays off for us and for our corporate sponsors,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. 

“Leveraging corporate sponsorships is a natural for many Erie County facilities, and will reverse the ever-constant trend of corporate welfare in our country. Finding new ways to generate revenue for the county is one my administration’s core missions. Our hope is that instead of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency giving a tax break for a national company to move here, we’ll soon see many national companies paying the county millions of dollars to advertise their products on big, brightly-lit signs across our great community. Our community will benefit from these partnerships and we are ready to go as we have already been approached by many companies looking to do this as a way to help us jointly build our brands,” stated Poloncarz.

Local and national corporate connections are currently under consideration for sponsorships at county facilities across the spectrum of county services. Some of these include: changing of the Rath Building’s name to the Cellino and Barnes Building; the Holiday Inn Express Holding Center (for that short, unexpected stay); the Comfort Suites Correctional Facility (for the guest who will stay a while); the Johnson and Johnson Public Health Laboratory; the  Trojan Brand Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic; the Roto-Rooter Division of Sewerage Management; the Accountemps Comptroller’s Office; the Budget Rent-A-Car Division of Budget & Management; the Callaway Golf Elma Meadows Golf Course; and the Hot Wheels Division of Fleet Management.