Giant LED billboards could generate revenue for Houston - What's Your Point?

Down at city hall, the drums of war are beginning to beat over a proposal to build 50 giant jumbotrons across Houston on public land.

Mayor Sylvester Turner, in search of a multi-million dollar revenue stream, has requested bids from major billboard providers.

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LED Billboards headed for Houston?

Houston's Sunday morning political debate show! The WYP panel talks about the city proposal for essentially jumbo-tron - LED billboards around Houston. Scenic Houston has mobilized against these billboards, the Mayor's office says currently there's nothing before him to consider.


That's raised the alarm of "scenic Houston" - the venerable, well-funded advocacy group which has waged a largely successful four-decade campaign to dramatically reduce so-called "sign blight" in the bayou city.

Scenic Houston Executive Director, Heather Houston explains, " Our sign code is one the most admired in the country so let's not go changing that. It's a very slippery slope. Once you let this company come in and put up 50 LED boards you have to let the other billboard companies do the same and I don't think any of us want our city lit up like a Las Vegas or Times Square."

Fifty two-sided billboards actually is equal to 100 screens. Critics say they never turn off, running 24/7, and represent a distraction to drivers.

The lastwha word we got was that "there was nothing before the mayor", but clearly Scenic Houston is mobilizing for a fight.

Watch more What's Your Point discussions