Little Rock officials are considering allowing the public to rent the three lighted bridges downtown for special events, according to Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesman John Mayner.
Mayner, who also serves as the vice president of marketing and communications at the bureau, said planning is still in its early stages, and “it is just too premature to share much of anything about the bridges” right now.
But at an Advertisingand Promotion Commission meeting this week, he and Mayor Mark Stodola updated the commissioners about the possibility of the public renting the bridges for special light shows.
“People could reserve the lights for special events for a reasonable fee,” Stodola said. “The fees will go into reserve for additional maintenance and future programming. Eventually, we’d like to look into adding music to the light show.”
A committee has been put together to study the issue, as well as develop policies and procedures regarding the lighted bridges - the Main Street Bridge, the Junction Bridge pedestrian walkway and the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge. The goal is to have a report completed by midyear that will be presented to the Advertising and Promotion Commission.
“Initial conversations have focused on the need to develop [an] annual calendar, color schemes, light shows (how and when used), and whether or not organizations can make a request for special colors and/ or shows,” Mayner said in an email Friday. “That conversation has led us to explore how other cities and/or illuminated structures handle similar requests, and we are still researching this issue.”
The committee consists of several Convention and Visitors Bureau employees, members of the mayor’s Tourism Commission and representatives from Entergy Arkansas, which donated $2 million to light the bridges as a celebration of its 100th anniversary.
The bridges were first lit at a ceremony Dec. 19 that included President Bill Clinton. They have stayed lit every night since.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 14 on 01/26/2014