Local nonprofit Downtown Phoenix Inc. is working to install eight to 10 digital kiosks in the central Phoenix area to provide real-time interactive maps, job postings and local business listings at the push of a button.
Working essentially as a directory would in a shopping mall, the kiosks will make information more accessible for community members.
President and CEO of Downtown Phoenix Inc., Devney Preuss said, “It grounds you to where you are and encourages you to experience more of everything around you, downtown is for everyone, and this will only make it more accessible.”
Funding for the program will come from private vendors that sell advertising on the kiosks when they are not in use. The revenue generated will be split between the kiosk vendor and the city.
Installation would require city council to change a standing city ordinance that prohibits advertising in the right of way. Preuss said Downtown Phoenix Inc., also known as DTPHX, is awaiting an exception from the city council that should have an official decision by the end of 2021.
This program, which was implemented in both Tempe and Mesa, would allow downtown Phoenix to display an array of information from places to eat, a city calendar of events, and a list of activities that may be happening that day.
Downtown Phoenix Inc. hopes for the installation of the kiosks before the Super Bowl in February 2023, making the technology readily available to out-of-town visitors.
Street Transportation Department Deputy Director Chris Ewell said the Phoenix City Council sent out a request for information on the potential revenue from each individual kiosk.
“We want to know what the potential from each kiosk is. Phoenix’s market is great for advertising; it’s a great marketing opportunity to ultimately see the city grow,” Ewell said.
The kiosks’ functionality works for anyone and can even provide social services for the homeless population in the Phoenix area.
“It’s about customer service and providing that service to everyone, and everyone needs information, and there are so many services available to them now and it’s an extra positive thing that Phoenix can do to help its community,” Ewell said.
Years before this current effort, downtown Phoenix had kiosks that were static and were used for the same purpose. The kiosks were eventually torn down because they became outdated.
Phoenix City Council wants to ensure that the new kiosks don’t have the same fate. Ewell believes the kiosks will evolve and provide service to Phoenix residents for years to come.
“I would imagine it would be constant evolution, what we’re going into won’t look the same in 10 years and I would say the goal is to expand and improve customer service as the years go by,” Ewell said.
The contract for kiosk implementation between the vendor and the city of Phoenix is expected to go before the City Council as soon as this fall.
Contact the reporter dljohn62@asu.edu.
