Ribbon advertising boards around the second tier of Rupp Arena "could be installed" by the start of the next Univ. of Kentucky men's basketball season, according to Beth Musgrave of the LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER. Learfield Communications "has agreed to give Lexington Center Corp. $800,000 to install the ribbon advertising boards, which are found in most modern arenas." LCC BOD Chair Brent Rice said that the ribbon ads "will allow Learfield to sell more advertising and in turn, return more money" to the LCC. Musgrave notes the $800,000 installation is "part of an extension of Learfield's contract" until '17-18. The LCC BOD on Thursday "approved the extension" at its meeting. In '02, during a renovation of Rupp Arena, an "additional press box was installed to one side of the upper rim of the arena." LCC President & CEO Bill Owen said that to "put the ribbon advertising around the bowl -- and for it to look good -- a similar box must be built on the other side." Musgrave notes it is "not clear how much that will cost, but it is not included in the $800,000 Learfield has given the center" (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 5/22).
