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City seeks private kiosk rollout with no upfront cost, city to receive ad‑revenue share
Summary
City staff told the Jobs & Economic Development Committee on Sept. 2 that a vendor would install 30 digital kiosks in Charlotte’s rights‑of‑way at no upfront cost to the city, with the city receiving 30% of net ad revenue or a guaranteed minimum per kiosk.
City staff briefed the Jobs and Economic Development Committee on a proposed public‑right‑of‑way digital kiosk program that would install 30 free‑standing interactive signs across six corridors of opportunity and three mobility/market districts. The vendor (Ike Smart Cities, selected through a solicitation) would design, fabricate, permit, install and maintain the kiosks at no upfront cost to the city, while the city would receive a revenue share from advertising.
Key features
- Number and placement: 30 kiosks proposed in corridors of opportunity and three MSDs (South End, University City and SouthPark). Final locations to be determined with stakeholders and permitting.
- Operations and content: Kiosks provide wayfinding, multilingual ADA‑compliant touchscreens, free public Wi‑Fi (~150‑foot radius), emergency alerts and the ability to display city content and advertising; kiosk signs will include QR codes linking to city pages and rezoning content where applicable.
- Contract and revenue: Staff reported an initial 10‑year term with an option to renew another 10 years. The city would receive the larger of 30% of net ad revenue or a guaranteed annual minimum (about $8,000 per kiosk per year). Staff estimated the 30 kiosks could generate roughly $925,000 annually under vendor forecast; staff also noted the vendor estimates and minimum guarantees will be included in final contract negotiations.
- Next steps: Council will need to approve the vendor contract and adopt small ordinance changes to permit illuminated kiosks and digital signs in the right of way (staff cited sections 10‑4‑141 and 19‑2‑208 as examples). Staff estimated initial installations could begin around six months after contract award and that full deployment could take 18–24 months.
Committee discussion
Committee members praised the proposed revenue model and public‑engagement features but asked about expected typical annual revenues and device removal/maintenance if usage declines. Staff said a minimum annual guarantee protects the city revenue stream and the vendor would be responsible for refreshes and removal. Staff also emphasized the need for cross‑departmental coordination (CDOT for encroachment agreements, communications for content, legal and finance for contract oversight).
Final note
Staff will return to council for contract award and the ordinance amendments necessary to authorize kiosks in the right of way. Committee members urged staff to prioritize local business promotion and MWSBE opportunities in vendor content and operations.
