Digital billboards are coming to Galesburg. A Missouri-based company has acquired property rights and applied for permits to locate two-sided billboards at a pair of high-traffic locations — one at the intersection of Main and Henderson streets, and the other near Home Boulevard and Carl Sandburg Drive.
Wesley Bell, general manager of Robinson Outdoor of Perryville, Missouri, tells WGIL the digital billboards will feature seven slots on each side, allowing for 14 customers at each site.
In addition to slots for advertisers, the city of Galesburg will be allowed a portion of the billboard time to promote community events or notices. Also, weather alerts such as tornado warnings would be displayed, taking precedence over advertising.
“It’s a great way for the city to communicate with the citizens about things going on in Galesburg,” Bell said.
Robinson Outdoor has approximately 155 digital faces throughout the country, the nearest location in Kewanee. The company started in Missouri and has expanded to Iowa, Illinois and Kentucky.
According to Knox County property transfers, Robinson Real Estate Easement Company LLC acquired the property at 343 Home Blvd.—located across the street from Lowe’s Home Improvement—from Cody Krech on Tuesday for $300,000.
Bell said Robinson Outdoor will sell the recently-acquired land at 343 Home Blvd.—most likely for further retail development.
“We’re in communication with a few developers in the Illinois market, and they build a variety of things from Jimmy John’s to Scooter’s Coffee to other restaurants,” Bell said. “It’s being heavily spoken about.”
The billboard at Henderson and Main streets is located near Nature’s Treatment of Illinois.
Bell said he anticipates the signs being installed in Galesburg sometime in mid-April. Since the sign at Henderson and Main will face state highways, Robinson Outdoor is required to get state permits for that location.
