NJ May Put its Rest Stop Names to Work for Corporate America

If you think New York State’s deficit is bad, take a look at New Jersey, where a $11 billion budget gap is pushing officials to think creatively. One plan? Sell the naming rights for 12 rest stops on the NJ Turnpike and eight on the Garden State Expressway. "The 'Nike Stop' . . . maybe that would be worth $10 million," suggested DOT Commissioner James Simpson, according to the AP. One highly trafficked hub is named for Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, while others bear the names of Revolutionary war heroes, poets like Walt Whitman and political figures like Alexander Hamilton. In the future, they could go strictly corporate, however a naming rights expert says $1 million is a more realistic pricetag.

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By Sabrina Jaszi in News on March 28, 2010 4:10 PM

Comments [rss]

jerseygirl

this is not the first time that a new jersey governor has decided to sell the naming rights to a rest area. this is actually a recycled and reused christie whitman idea. just to let you know how well that went the first time around, we ended up with a shock jock, howard stern rest area. ha ha!! needless to say, the new howard stern sign was stolen within what seemed like minutes of its debut. all i know is that when we have a governor with christie anywhere in their name, new jersey has bigger problems than rest stops!

Think2wice

I wonder how much of New Jersey's money woes stem from their proliferation of municipalities. I once read that Bergen County, with it's 900,000 people, has more fire trucks than all of New York City. To this day I wonder why Hudson County won't pool it's resources and incorporate into a single city.

Snoopy

These fools think in too small terms. Why not lease names of states to corporations. Instead of New Jersey, it could be called Scotts TwoPly Tissue, or NEW! Preperation H. That should be worth $10,000,000. At least people looking at all the maps of the US will be reminded of the products and the corporations behind the products.

ItchyGoiter

Does branding like this even actually work? Like Citi Field... does it actually do anything but make people hate Citibank more?

FrankMartin

""The 'Nike Stop' . . . maybe that would be worth $10 million," suggested DOT Commissioner James Simpson"

This guy should be fired today, what moron names his price publicly before embarking on a real effort too find sponsors. Nike might be interested but they already know your top estimate, no chance they get near that now. No matter what data you show them about eyes seeing the branding. What an total idiot. Simpson, probably related to Homer.

Elwood Blues

When you boil it down, it's still just a toilet. In New Jersey. Which is redundant.

lexicondevil

The rest stops are already heavily corporatized with terrible chain eateries, so who really cares what they are called. I'm not sure why we would want to memorialize the great president Hamilton by associating him with a depressing Wendy's truck stop. Personally I always found it depressing to see Walt Whitman's name attached to a gas station and fast food stop. On the flip side, I'm not sure why a corporation would want to be associated with a rest stop - I doubt they'd get many bidders.

Dee_Snutz

Why not the 'Snookie' or 'The Situation' Service Areas?

New Jersey just sucks.

Goiter Boy

Actually, Snookie is from Poughkeepsie and the Situation is from Staten Island. So, if by "New Jersey sucks," you mean, "New Jersey sucks garbage from the crap heap across the river into Seaside Heights and Belmar for three months a year," I couldn't disagree ...

Dee_Snutz

No, New Jersey just sucks. Period.

Son of Spam

But neither of them were great presidents like Hamilton was....not yet, at least.

Dee_Snutz

Isn't Snooki queen of Guidette Nation? I think she's more powerful than Michelle Obama.

Peter

Having the rest stops named after historic figures is a nice touch. Selling naming rights might get some soon-to-be-spent revenue but will also make roads a bit more bland.

That being said, I wouldn't consider it much of a loss if the Vince Lombardi Plaza is renamed, as Lombardi's connection with the Garden State is rather tenuous (a few years as a high school coach).

lexicondevil

"Presidents like Alexander Hamilton"... wow. Just wow. I know it's already been pointed out, but it deserves to be mocked again.

Splicer

That's all well and good but where does the money go and who controls what is done with it? Let's say $50 million is brought in because of the naming rights -- is $30 million going to go for "consultant" fees with all of these consultants having ties to the Governor?

pscrabble

Alexander Hamilton has always been one of my favorite presidents, second only to Ben Franklin.

Dee_Snutz

you beat me to this.

journalism is dead, especially on the gothamist. do your homework next time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_hamilton

Dee_Snutz

'One highly trafficked hub is named for Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, while others bear the names of Revolutionary war heroes, poets like Walt Whitman and political figures like Alexander Hamilton.'

Looks like someone did some editing... Good job!