The Santa Monica Daily Press shared the announcement made by BIG Outdoor and IKE Smart City that they would partner together to  meet the terms of a contract with Santa Monica that will roll out up to 50 digital wayfinding signs.

Six companies originally participated in a Santa Monica bid process, to install interactive digital advertising kiosks throughout the city with emergency communication capabilities, community messaging, public Wi-fi, access the City’s 3-1-1 system, pedestrians counters, photo booth functions and advertising. Big Outdoor and IKE Smart City made the final cut with BIG Outdoor being awarded the contract after promising the city $9 million in the first year due to a combined signing bonus and revenue split.

That decision proved contentious ,with  two Council members saying IKE had a better product regardless of the revenue potential. According to the Daily Press, IKE levied accusations of wrongdoing at city staff, the council and its competitor claiming BIG’s revenue projections were unrealistic, that BIG lacked the technology to implement the system and that its proposal was unfairly minimized. By the end of the meeting, IKE threatened to mount a challenge to the contract at the ballot box. That threat came to fruition early this year when IKE began gathering signatures for a proposed ballot measure that would have either forced the City to rescind the contract or put it before voters.

Ultimately IKE pulled its operatives from the field after about a week and the two companies recently announced a new partnership. BIG Outdoor has been awarded a 20 year franchise agreement and will develop and operate the kiosk program, utilizing software powered by IKE Smart City.  The companies are expecting minimum payments to the city to be $5 million per year once the company installs 25 kiosks but gross revenues could be about $14 million annually over the 20 year agreement assuming all 50 kiosks are installed.

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