New London committee votes to reserve November billboard campaign to promote downtown

The New London Economic Development Committee voted to reserve a digital billboard for a November advertising push to promote the city and local businesses, a member said during the committee’s meeting.

The committee’s city administrator, Chad, described an offer from Lamar (the billboard company) for an eight-ad rotation: each ad slot costs $175 per week, with a single ad appearing roughly once per minute for about 7½–8 seconds. ‘‘Each slot for a week is a 175… If we would do a full month, you just add that up across, it'd be $700,’’ Chad said, explaining options for businesses and the city to share or rotate content.

Committee members discussed options for funding and program rules. Members proposed either letting businesses pay their own weeks or the city subsidizing part of the cost to lower the buy-in for small businesses; one suggestion was a 50% match so that a four-week slot at $700 would effectively cost a sponsoring business $350. Committee members also raised operational questions—whether slots would be allocated first-come, first-served or selected, whether tourism or chamber groups would participate, and how to manage a potential oversubscription.

After debate about timing and logistics, the committee moved to reserve the month of November on the Greenville digital billboard ‘‘if it is available’’ and make slots available to the city, businesses and nonprofits. The chair announced the motion and named the mover and seconder; the motion passed with the chair stating there were two recorded votes in opposition.

Why it matters: committee members said a concentrated advertising period tied to the Highway 15 reopening and the downtown reopening could attract shoppers and visitors from neighboring communities. Members identified November as a target window for holiday shopping and winter events; alternatives such as March were discussed for additional campaigns.

What comes next: committee staff will check availability with Lamar, develop program criteria (including whether to subsidize slots and how to select participants), and report back with a plan that the committee can approve before fundraising or reservation commitments are finalized.