The new Cincinnati Convention Center’s show-stopping sign has officially been unveiled.
The 17-year-old CINCINNATI sign on the front of the convention center was dismantled last year to be replaced with new, state-of-the-art LED lettering as part of the reimagination and modernization of the convention center, which has been closed since the summer of 2024 to undergo renovations but is ready to reopen. 3CDC says the former signage, while popular with its color-changing feature, had issues with functionality, and it was difficult to get replacement parts when things broke. The panels were also expensive to maintain.
Updates to the sign include individual LED-illuminated letters, which give operators complete creative control over the content displayed within the sign. Operators can customize each letter, including colors, motion graphics, animations and even separate video streams. For example, the sign can be customized to display tiger stripes on Cincinnati Bengals game days or the logos of the Cincinnati Reds or FC Cincinnati.
The sign will also be able to support live video playback, like the board at Fountain Square, and will also have better functionality, efficiency and reduced maintenance costs compared to the original sign.
“The convention center is starting a new chapter, and the upgrades made to the CINCINNATI sign are so exciting. The sign’s new capabilities and improved reliability will allow us to spotlight Cincinnati in countless ways — just like the transformation of the convention center itself,” City Manager Sheryl Long said in a press release.
The new CINCINNATI can now be seen lit seven days a week from the western side of the convention center. The city says the graphics will change based on holidays, city events, sports schedules and more.
City, county and state leaders will be at the Cincinnati Convention Center Wednesday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the convention center’s reopening.