CINCINNATI — The iconic "Cincinnati" sign on the Duke Energy Convention Center will undergo some much needed updates during the convention center's remodel, 3CDC announced Wednesday.
The current sign is roughly 17 years old.
According to 3CDC, the project's design team, Moody Nolan and TVS Architecture, evaluated the facade of the Duke Energy Convention Center to find ways to improve the structure's appearance — including upgrading the "Cincinnati" sign.
Once it's done, the new sign will feature individual LED-illuminated letters that will allow for more creative designs in the future — as opposed to the current design, where the entire letter or sign is lit up all at once.
The new sign will be dynamic, allowing for the customization of each letter, including color changes and gradients.
This means the new sign could be specifically designed on game days to include Bengals stripes, or place the Reds or FC Cincinnati logos directly within the letters.
"The Cincinnati sign is a truly iconic piece of the skyline synonymous with a warm welcome as you enter our city," said City Manager Sheryl Long in a press release. "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."
The sign is mostly visible heading north on I-75 through the city. It was originally installed in 2006 during the convention center's last renovation.
It was upgraded once before, in 2014, when it was swapped to LED lights that could be programmed to shine in 16.7 million color combinations.
But 3CDC said the sign's 78 different lighted metal panels are "burdensome and expensive to maintain."
When any light fixtures in the sign malfunction currently, it requires physical access to the sign for troubleshooting and repair — and like a strand of holiday lights, a single failed fixture can also prevent other good fixtures from lighting up.
Fixing the sign also demands a street lane closure, and ordering new replacements for fixtures can often take up to six to 12 weeks to arrive.
Watch to see more renderings released last year showing the rest of the convention center upgrades:
"This created an expensive, burdensome and time-consuming process to repair fixtures when necessary," reads the press release from 3CDC. "The upgraded signs will eliminate these challenges, while also enhancing the user experience of the sign through its customization options."
Demolition on the current sign will begin in June and continue throughout the summer. The newly upgraded sign is expected to be installed and functioning when the Duke Energy Convention Center's full renovation efforts are completed.
"When we started looking into making changes to this portion of the convention center's facade, 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, in a press release. "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."
It's not the only update coming to the outside facade of the Duke Energy Convention Center.
Once the renovations are done, the southwest corner of the building will host a new 70-foot-by-26-foot video board that will be used to highlight local events, provide information to visitors and run paid advertisements.
The $240 million renovation project broke ground in July 2024. It's expected to wrap up in January 2026.
