Iconic ‘Cincinnati’ Sign to Be Upgraded as Part of Convention Center Overhaul

Modernized Sign to Feature LED-Illuminated Letters with Enhanced Capabilities

CINCINNATI (May 28, 2025) – Downtown’s iconic, 17-year-old “Cincinnati” sign will be upgraded this year as part of the reimagination of the convention center. During the design and planning phase of the effort to modernize and update the convention center, the project’s design team – Moody Nolan and TVS Architecture – along with the project’s development manager, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) evaluated the building’s entire façade to identify potential areas for improvement, including the Cincinnati sign on the westernmost side of the structure.

The upgraded sign will feature individual LED-illuminated letters, providing operators with complete creative control over the content shown. Unlike traditional signage, this dynamic system allows full customization of each letter—including color changes, gradients, and rich hues—enabling the display of visually striking and brand-specific designs. On game days, for instance, operators can incorporate signature visuals such as Bengals stripes, or Reds or FC Cincinnati logos directly within the letters themselves.

Each letter functions as an independent digital canvas, capable of showcasing unique motion graphics, animations, or even separate video streams. The sign also supports full live video playback, similar to the Fifth Third LED board at Fountain Square, further enhancing its versatility. This upgrade represents a significant leap forward in both functionality and efficiency, offering unparalleled flexibility, high visual impact, and reduced maintenance costs compared to the current signage.

“The Cincinnati sign is a truly iconic piece of the skyline synonymous with a warm welcome as you enter our city,” City Manager Sheryl Long said. “I’m thrilled to see the convention center upgrade to a new system that enhances our capabilities to celebrate our City while maintaining the tradition so many have grown to love. It’s just another piece of this transformational renovation that will have a lasting impact on not only the City but the region.”

Along with the upgraded Cincinnati sign, the southwest corner of the building’s façade will feature a new 70’ x 26’ video board. This separate video board will serve as a digital platform to highlight local events, provide information to visitors, run paid advertisements and more.

“When we started looking into making changes to this portion of the convention center’s façade, we took to heart the sense of nostalgia the Cincinnati community feels for this unique piece of our city,” said Katie Westbrook, Senior Vice President of Development for 3CDC. “This upgraded sign will honor that tradition but take the experience of the sign to another level with its new features and ability for customization. The upgraded sign is perfectly aligned with the first-class experience we’re creating at the reimagined convention center.”

The current sign has become a recognizable and popular piece of the Cincinnati skyline from the city’s west side, viewable by those driving northbound on I-75 passing the city. It is well-known for its ability to change colors in support of local sports teams, major cultural events, and important causes. Despite these color-changing capabilities, issues with its functionality and availability of replacement parts have made it increasingly difficult, and costly, to manage and repair when issues arise.

Originally installed in 2006 during the Convention Center’s last renovation, the sign was most recently improved in 2014. At that time, it was upgraded to LED lights, with 16.7 million color combinations that could be programmed by computer. However, its 78 lighted metal panels are burdensome and expensive to maintain.

The current sign utilizes weatherproof color-changing LED fixtures – manufactured in Canada – to illuminate the panels spelling Cincinnati. When fixtures malfunction, physical access is required for troubleshooting and repair, and a single failed fixture may prevent other good fixtures from lighting up. The process for accessing fixtures for repair requires a street lane closure and 120-foot Articulating lift. If a fixture needs to be replaced and one is not on hand, it generally requires 6-12 weeks to obtain a new one. This created an expensive, burdensome, and time-consuming process to repair fixtures when necessary. The upgraded sign will eliminate these challenges, while also enhancing the user experience of the sign through its customization options.

Demolition on the current sign is scheduled to begin in June and will continue through the summer. The new, upgraded Cincinnati sign is expected to be installed and operational by the time the building’s full renovation is completed. To follow along with progress being made in the reimagined Convention District, please subscribe to bi-weekly email updates at https://mailchi.mp/3cdc/qbayf59p68.

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