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Trolley might carry ads
By KATHERINE GAZELLA, Times Staff Writer TARPON SPRINGS -- The city might allow advertising on the trolley that circles through downtown and the Sponge Docks, but officials are trying to avoid the problems that Pinellas County transit officials have run into in the past. City staffers are recommending that advertisements be allowed inside and outside the Tarpon Springs Trolley to reduce what the city has to pay for it. "It's only going to be beneficial to the city," said Charlie Attardo, business services specialist for the city. Without any ads, the city's projected revenue shortfall for the trolley is $55,000 a year, Attardo said. But advertisements can bring up uncomfortable legal issues, City Attorney John Hubbard said. Before accepting ads, the city should devise a way to terminate certain ads quickly and perhaps not allow certain ads that deal with political or controversial issues, he said. "It can be a quagmire," Hubbard said at a City Commission meeting Tuesday. "What you have to do is be super, super careful. ... You can get yourself into a world of First Amendment agony." The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority accepts only commercial advertising on its buses and does not accept advertisements for alcohol or tobacco, said Janet Recca, director of marketing. PSTA also doesn't accept political or issue ads, she said. PSTA's decision to accept only commercial advertisements came after the Church of Scientology complained about anti-Scientology ads that appeared on PSTA buses in 1998. The city is leasing the trolley, which began running in April, from PSTA for $1 a year. It is designed to tie the downtown area with the Sponge Docks. Revenue comes from passenger fees of $1 a trip or $3 a day, brochure advertising, trolley stop sponsorship and the city's general fund. Passenger revenue during the slow season is generating an average of less than $200 a week. Another $4,950 has come from trolley sponsors. Tours & Detours of Largo supplies the drivers for the trolley and gets $14 an hour from the city for the service. According to an estimate that Tours & Detours gave to the city, 24 ads could go inside the trolley, above the seats, at a cost of $30 each. Several ads could go outside, with prices ranging from $65 to $150. Assuming that 80 percent could be sold at any given time, the revenue for one year would be $18,768. If 70 percent went to Tours & Detours and 30 percent went to the city, that would give the city $5,630 a year, according to a preliminary breakdown. City staffers also suggested having the trolley stop at area hotels. Hotels that agreed to the arrangement would have to guarantee four passengers a day at $5 a passenger and would have to pay at the end of the month to make up any shortfalls. The city would get all of the guaranteed fees and 30 percent of all the money beyond that. Tours & Detours would get 70 percent of any money beyond the guaranteed amount and would be responsible for marketing and operating the program. A local business leader said the city should look at ways of funding the trolley other than just relying on city funds. Marc Antonio, chairman of the Tarpon Springs Business Alliance, said many local business people would be willing to buy ads. "Ultimately, we should strive to have a trolley that is self-supporting," he said. -- Katherine Gazella can be reached at (727) 445-4182 or gazella@sptimes.com.
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From the Times North Pinellas desks |
