'It's not a business decision,' said Illuminate CEO Ben Davis. 'It's an emotional one.'
The head of the nonprofit launching an $11 million campaign to save the Bay Bridge light show says he's been approached by two potential major donors who are strongly considering making million-dollar pledges.
Davis said they are pitching the cause to wealthy entrepreneurs and families as an"emotional" one, not a business decision. Davis also told me that the spectacle is not for sale — if the Bay Lights stay it will be done"through the culture of generosity, not reciprocity." There will be no advertisements, no"monetizing people's eyeballs" as part of the display's future.
At the macro level, an argument can be made that the attraction has already provided far greater benefits than costs to San Francisco — particularly for hospitality businesses, beautifying an entry point into the city that’s also the West Coast's busiest bridge. Unlike a typical crowd-funding arrangement, where funds are kept effectively in escrow until the goal is reached, Illuminate's plans are for the project to use the funding as it arrives so that the lights remain dark for the shortest amount of time possible, even if that means the lights could go dark for a second time if the campaign falls short of its funding goal.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pac-12 relocating San Francisco headquarters to East BayThe conference announced plans to leave its San Francisco headquarters and shift its staff to remote work in May.
Read more »
Apple contract manufacturer Jabil cutting 205 Bay Area jobs - San Francisco Business TimesThe layoffs will affect factory workers in Fremont and Livermore.
Read more »
East Bay industrial market sees advanced manufacturers take step back - San Francisco Business TimesTenant requirements in the Oakland market dropped 36% from the third to fourth quarter of last year, in part because of a pullback from advanced manufacturing tenants.
Read more »
Storms send sewage pouring into streets, creeks, San Francisco Bay and Pacific OceanHeavy downpours triggered the release of millions of gallons of raw sewage mixed with rainwater across the region in just two weeks, according to an analysis of 88 reports to the state’s Office of …
Read more »
Prospective jurors don't like Elon Musk. Just ask his own lawyers.Elon Musk is not a popular man in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Read more »
Disneyland starts work on San Fransokyo makeover of Pacific WharfWalt Disney Imagineering is turning the Monterey Bay-inspired food court at Disney California Adventure into an architectural cross between the San Francisco Bay and Tokyo Bay areas.
Read more »