A jewel of the Queen City skyline is getting a 21st-century glow-up.
Crews will upgrade the iconic “Cincinnati” sign on the western façade of the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown this year with new digital technology, marking a bold step in the broader revitalization of the convention center and surrounding district.
Installed in 2006 and last updated in 2014, the sign has long served as a colorful symbol for the city, visible to drivers along northbound Interstate 75. But aging infrastructure and maintenance challenges have dimmed its shine. Crews will replace it with a fully customizable, LED-illuminated version that offers greater flexibility and lower maintenance.
The revamped sign will feature individual letters acting as independent digital canvases. Operators will be able to program custom colors, motion graphics, gradients and even separate video streams into each letter. The new system also supports live video playback, similar to the Fifth Third LED board at Fountain Square.
On game days, the sign could display Cincinnati Bengals stripes or logos for the Cincinnati Reds or FC Cincinnati directly within the letters.
“The Cincinnati sign is a truly iconic piece of the skyline synonymous with a warm welcome as you enter our city,” said City Manager Sheryl Long.
“I’m thrilled to see the convention center upgrade to a new system that enhances our capabilities to celebrate our City while maintaining the tradition so many have grown to love,” she continued. “It’s just another piece of this transformational renovation that will have a lasting impact on not only the City but the region.”
Part of a bigger downtown makeover
The sign upgrade is part of a larger renovation at the Duke Energy Convention Center. Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., or 3CDC, is leading the project. The nonprofit focuses on revitalizing Cincinnati’s urban core by partnering with public and private stakeholders.
For this effort, 3CDC is managing the planning, design and execution, working with architecture firms Moody Nolan and TVS to modernize the building while honoring its legacy.
“When we started looking into making changes to this portion of the convention center’s façade, we took to heart the sense of nostalgia the Cincinnati community feels for this unique piece of our city,” said Katie Westbrook, 3CDC’s senior VP of development.
The current sign uses weatherproof, color-changing LED fixtures manufactured in Canada to light up 78 metal panels. Repairs often require a 120-foot articulating lift and street lane closures, 3CDC said. The organization noted that if a part fails and isn’t readily available, sourcing a replacement can take six to 12 weeks, driving up maintenance costs and downtime.
Beyond the sign, the project calls for the addition of a new, separate 70-by-26-foot video board on the building’s southwest corner. The city will use it to showcase local events, visitor information and other advertising, 3CDC said.
Crews plan to begin removing the old sign in June, with work continuing through the summer. 3CDC expects the new sign to be operational by the time the full convention center renovation is complete.
“The upgraded sign is perfectly aligned with the first-class experience we’re creating at the reimagined convention center,” Westbrook said.
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