LILLEY: Metrolinx to sell naming rights for railway stations, waiting areas, parking lots
I’ve always found the selling of naming rights to be a little barfie because it leads to dumb sounding shit like Guaranteed Rate Field, the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre and the KFC Yum! Center that are embarrassing to type or say out loud and often rob buildings and towns of character, but I think I’m going to have an even bigger problem with this plan than just that should it go ahead.
If I have to hear this sponsorship garbage plastered all over every one of the spoken stop calling announcements I rely on to know where I am, I think I’d rather take my chances on the fares going up. As it is they sometimes don’t fire off with very much time to react, and that’s only going to get worse if I have to sit there and listen to it yammer about the Burger King Station brought to you in part by Molson Canadian and Coca Cola. Shit, I’ll be half way across town and hopelessly lost by the time that thing’s done talking, because you know that once that revenue starts flowing it’s only going to get worse. If you don’t believe me, read the description of Guaranteed Rate field up there.
From the CIBC Fan Deck to the Xfinity Kids Zone, to the Guaranteed Rate Club and The Goose Island, Guaranteed Rate Field has a lot to offer Chicago fans.
That’s a completely useless, garbage sentence. Imagine trying to use ones like it for navigational purposes. Just…no. In order for it to make any damn sense you’d almost have to start selling naming rights to the streets themselves…I’ve said too much. I’m sorry.
The Ford government loves to say that they’re open for business, and a new proposal for Toronto area transit shows it’s more than just a slogan.
The province, via Metrolinx, is getting set to seek business partners interested in purchasing naming rights for GO Train stations, in-train quiet zones, bathrooms, waiting areas and more.
“When the Premier talks about growing the government’s revenues without new taxes, this is the sort of thing he’s talking about,” said a government source with knowledge of the program.
Documents obtained by the Sun show the agency in charge of the regional commuter system is looking at selling off naming rights over five to 10 year periods.
These naming rights could include individual stations, parking lots and more according to the documents — “quiet zone, bathrooms, bike zones, waiting zones, etc.”
Naming rights would be available on five to 10 year terms and would vary according to whether the station was new or existing.
Brand new stations could have its entire name purchased outright — the Toronto SunGO Station, for example.
Existing stations would retain part of their existing names, such as the Toronto Sun Oakville Station.The documents suggest Metrolinx estimates it could charge $50,000 to $500,000 per station per year, depending on ridership and other factors.
Beginning Aug. 1, Metrolinx will engage in a 60-day consultation period that will seek initial interest in five stations: Whitby, Pickering, Exhibition, Clarkson and Oakville.
