An advertisement for the Arena Football League’s Arizona Rattlers on the Luhrs Building is causing a divide between Phoenix businesses and preservation activists.
The historic 10-story Luhrs Building at 11 West Jefferson Street, which opened its doors in 1924, had been virtually untouched until Feb. 21.
The Arizona Rattlers unveiled a six-story wall mural as part of their partnership with Legends Entertainment District, which sits on the west-facing wall of the Luhrs building. The mural, financed by the Steve LeVine Entertainment group, reads “Less Field, More Football.” The ad was designed by Fisher Design, the Rattler’s marketing team.
Legends Entertainment District is the marketing machine that was formed when the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Phoenix Suns partnered and procured outdoor space for visual campaigning last year. The Rattlers became the latest team to join the district. According to LeVine’s representatives, the ad for the Rattlers will be up until December 2012.
“It’s a six-story Wallscape with a vinyl wall-surfacing material,” said Kirsten Fargotstein, a representative of Steve LeVine Entertainment. “It has the Rattlers’ updated logo on it and a phone number for ticket information.”
Judd Norris, general manager of the Legends Entertainment District, said the Luhrs building offers a very unique space for billboards because it is visually appealing. He added that it was a “win-win” for both the Legends Entertainment group and the Rattlers.
“It’s a recognizable place for downtown Phoenix,” Norris said. “We’ve given the Luhrs building a fresh new look.”
A press release from the Rattlers and Steve LeVine Entertainment stated the illuminated wall mural is similar to the artwork that has been placed on multiple LED screens currently in rotation around the Legends Entertainment District area.
Some members of the community do not appreciate the ad being called a mural. Phoenix historian Marshall Shore said he was confused as to why they would call it a mural instead of what it is, an advertisement. He also said he was concerned whether future plans for the building would be for murals or advertisements.
“I was concerned about the brick facade; the thought of that painting over brick wasn’t a good idea,” Shore said. “For them to call it a mural, I thought it was an interesting tactic.”
Shore believes the Phoenix community should be involved more in future decisions and hopes both companies do so. He said he’s concerned the building will not be “community-oriented” in favor of advertisements.
In the press release, Arizona Rattlers Majority Owner Ron Shurts said the team and company believe they are giving more exposure to themselves and to the downtown area.
But Phoenix preservation advocate Jim McPherson said he believes the advertisement does not add any value to downtown at all.
“I don’t see the entertainment value,” McPherson said. “I don’t see what the community value is. From a preservation standpoint, I hope that ads like this one don’t harm the building’s value.”
It remains to be seen if the Rattlers’ ad on the Luhrs will bring in tickets for this year’s season, but for now the question is if more advertisements will be placed on the building.
Contact the reporter at slmaldon@asu.edu
