The Houston Astros choked at the end of the regular season, and they failed to make the MLB Playoffs (for the first time in last five years). But, the good news is that there’s now more time and opportunity to enjoy the IBO Fall Conference at the Crowne Plaza in Atlanta from October 7-10. And, as in the past, Chris, Sarah, Becky, and the rest of the hard-working crew at IBO have planned a fantastic outing!

As usual, the fun starts off with a golf tournament, followed by three evenings of drinks and dinners, with plenty of time in between sessions to catch up over coffee with friends and colleagues. The sessions look especially interesting and educational this year, including Andy McDonald of OAAA providing a Capital update, John Weller of Billboard Insider hosting a brokers’ panel discussion, breakout round table discussions, and much more.

Chris, Mike, and I will be presenting on “Developing New Billboard Sites.” We’ll focus, from a legal point of view, on the strategies, precedents, and cases for identifying and permitting new billboards, which might otherwise be prohibited. As we’ll explain, sometimes this billboard development can be achieved through use of the “stick,” such as First Amendment or pre-emption litigation or threats. Or, sometimes through the use of the “carrot,” like with development agreements or other concessions offered to municipalities. We’ve been fortunate to represent numerous clients who have successfully mapped out and implemented these development strategies over the last several decades, and we’ll share case studies on some of the more interesting ones. I bet some of the audience members may have a few stories to add as well.

See you in Atlanta!