Smaller electronic billboards will be going up around Dickies Arena after compromise
Promoters of Dickies Arena will be able to move forward with new electronic billboards in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, an idea that originally upset preservationists.
But the size and number of billboards has been significantly reduced.
The Fort Worth City Council Tuesday approved a zoning change that allows slightly larger billboards in a limited area around Will Rogers Memorial Center and Dickies Arena. Electronic billboards can now be as high as 23 feet and as wide as 19 feet with messages changes every eight seconds. Three signs are proposed around the complex.
Two spots already have an electronic billboard. The sign at University Drive and West Lancaster Avenue that promotes Casa Manna and Will Rogers Center events will be moved and made bigger along with an electronic sign down Lancaster near the intersection with Trial Drive. A new billboard will be placed on the west side of the complex at Montgomery Avenue and Trail Drive.
The sign at University and Lancaster will be largest, with height of 23 feet and a width of 19 feet. The the other two signs will be 16 feet by 12 feet. Additional signs will be allowed on parking garages by the arena.
The signs are a significant change of what was originally proposed, and the zoning changed passed Tuesday doesn’t prohibit Dickies Arena management from asking for more signs later.
An early proposal called for three additional signs, including one standing as high as 70 feet with a width of 35 feet, near Montgomery and West Freeway.
That proposal concerned some, including members of Scenic Fort Worth who questioned whether the signs were needed.
But Tuesday Scenic Fort Worth member Judy Harman said she favored the new concept. She applauded the city and Event Facilities Fort Worth for listening to concerns and compromising on the signs size and number.
Harman said she remained concerned the language of the zoning change could open the door for more signs later. That’s a concern shared by Bob Bass, his attorney Jay Hebert said at the meeting. Hebert said the eight-second message time was too quick and would likely distract drivers.
The Ed Bass-backed Event Facilities Fort Worth partnered with the city to build Dickies Arena, though a second nonprofit, Trail Drive Management, is now responsible for operations at the arena.
The $540 million arena will open this fall and will host George Strait in November.
This story was originally published August 7, 2019 at 12:44 PM with the headline "Smaller electronic billboards will be going up around Dickies Arena after compromise."
