Video board time to be shared by Hillwood, AAC

[Dirkgreatness]

Video board time to be shared by Hillwood, AAC

Dallas: Developer gets priority except during premier events at arena


08:43 PM CST on Wednesday, January 10, 2007
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News

After months of delay, a massive outdoor video board will soon hang from the American Airlines Center's southern face.

Arena managers and leaders of Hillwood, which is building the adjacent Victory development that includes a public square and 11 outdoor video boards of its own, struck a final-hour agreement that resolved long-standing disagreements over conflicting audio and content priority.

The two sides reached an agreement moments before the Dallas City Council was scheduled to vote on an ordinance granting arena manager Center Operating Co. the right to erect the 1,500-square-foot video board.

As both sides describe it, the complex agreement will give the American Airlines Center video board priority immediately before, during and immediately after most Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars games, as well as other premier arena events.

Hillwood's 11 video boards, valued at more than $30 million, will have audio content priority roughly 70 percent of the time, while the arena's board will have priority about 30 percent of the time, Center Operating Co. Chief Executive Officer Brad Mayne said.

Several council members threatened to resolve the disagreement themselves had an impasse continued, fearing that uncoordinated and competing audio messages would create dissonance in the large public square the video boards ring.

Since Tuesday night, officials from Hillwood and Center Operating Co. and council members traded dozens of e-mails and phones calls in hopes of reaching an agreement.

Satisfied with the two sides' compromise, council members unanimously approved the video board Wednesday afternoon after a brief debate.

"I'm sure they didn't want us to perform brain surgery with a dull shovel," council member Ron Natinsky said.

"The last thing that you want is 15 people around this table negotiating the deal for you," council member Ed Oakley said, referring to himself and his 14 council colleagues.

Both arena managers and Hillwood leaders say the agreement is effective immediately.

"No one likes the idea of going to a space, with a unique experience expected, and have it not work," Mr. Mayne said.

"We'll create a schedule of events on an annual basis and coordinate our efforts," said Jonas Woods, president of Hillwood Capital. "This is an agreement that's going to benefit the city of Dallas."

The $3 million arena video board probably will begin operating within two months, Mr. Mayne said. Arena officials had hoped to build it in time for the National Hockey League All-Star Game later this month, but that's not possible now, Mr. Mayne said.

Both sides plan to use their video boards to display unique video and audio content. Both Mr. Woods and Mr. Mayne say Hillwood and Center Operating Co. may sometimes coordinate content so that all 12 video boards would feature the same content.


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont....2949e6dd.html

[Dirkgreatness]

oh crap i just had a brain fart.... i was gonna post this in the Mavs sec. =/

[Windmill360]

Yea I saw that thing at The Who concert and thought, "what the hell is that?"