The Disneyfication of Times Square continues at a rapid pace. I was not around when Times Square was known more for porn, prostitution, and licentiousness, but I’ve heard long time residents remark at how Times Square is not the same place it was only a short time ago. Sure you will bump into an occasional doorman beckoning you to enter a “gentleman’s” club, but you are more likely to feel at “home” in Times Square than practically anywhere else in Manhattan.
Why do I say that? Well, Times Square pretty much looks like any strip mall in America. It is now full of chain restaurants, toy stores, and pictures of famous cartoon characters. You can eat at Apple Bees, stroll through Toys R Us and get your favorite Disney toy, take in the Lion King or Beauty and the Beast, and finish off the night with a shake at McDonald’s. Doesn’t that sound disgusting? I’m just waiting for Disney to install some type of tram through the square and for Starbucks to slap their logo over the Cup of Noodles to make it a giant steaming latte and the sickening corporate circle will be complete.
Just last week I was watching TV and a new bright light emanating from Times Square caught my eye. I stood up, peered out, and saw Simba staring back at me. Yep, the central character of the Lion King now graces a billboard on one of the buildings. During the day the billboard is just a picture, but at night they are working on lighting up the big cat.
I say working on it because only the bottom half of his face was illuminated. And the past couple of nights Simba has gone dark. You can see what I’m talking about below:
Now my apartment feels like a strange mix of the Disney Channel and Wild Kingdom. I have a giant cartoon lion staring through my window 24/7.
The first time I ever went to Times Square, I got so dizzy I almost fell over. Now it is kind of a home base if I ever get lost. I have been meaning to ask you if you frequent Rudy’s. I know it is in your neighborhood (you live in Hell’s Kitchen right?) and it was one of Joanie and my favorite places to go. Back in the day you couldn’t see from end to end of the twenty foot bar for the smoke.
Lu, I have passed Rudy’s a million times, but I have never gone in. Since you are experienced, you need to come up and take me there.
Remember, you are going to be spending next March 17 up here. Start your training now. . . .
Fortunately NYC is very militant when it come to smoking for now. All those who want to suck on lung darts have to go outside.
Very soon it won’t simply be a static image at night, but you will be watching videosfrom your window. It is actually a video advertising sign.
Yeah, the videos started a few night ago. It’s cool and all, but what if they made it on demand so I could request what I wanted to watch?
I don’t have cable so I think it would be great if they threw a random cable channel up there each night.
Yeah, like that would ever happen.
Any more comments about the video. I am from Australia and I am shareholder in the company manufacturing the sign – LUMACOM.
Any more photos or video clip would be great Matt!
I’ll see what I can do. Weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend. I’ll try to use the video capture and see what happens.
Any stock advice?
Thanks. That would be really great.
As far as stock advice, there are many of us who feel that the LUMACOM technology is very good, but there has been a lot of disappointments with the way the company is being managed.
If the sign in NY attracts a lot of attention, and advertisers come flooding in to either purchase new signs or rent the spaces, the stock could take off big time.
It is currently trading in the 10cents(AUD) to 12 cents(AUD) range, but over a year ago after a lot of hype and overzealous reporting by the management it reached the low 90cents(AUD) mark!
There are plenty of us who would love the shareprice to get there again and beyond, but time will tell.
In the mean time there are plenty who would like to be getting unbiased opinions from local Big Applers as to what they think about the sign, particularly the quality of the video images from a few miles away.
If it is prominent on the skyline and visible at a long distance I think LUMACOM has a very good future, and very much worth investing in – particularly at the current shareprice.
Matt, you might like to check out the the company website:
http://www.lumacom.com.au
Thanks again Matt in anticipation of the photos/video clips.
If you are able to keep an ongoing eye on what is happening from your vantage point you will become a hero to a number of Aussies on the Hotcopper and Sharescene forums.
http://www.hotcopper.com.au
http://www.sharescene.com/
Have a good weekend.
Thank you for the info. Heck, if you are really interested in the sign, hop on a bird and fly out here. You can stay at my place and watch the sign all you like since it’s right outside my window.
I have a party I’ll be at tonight but I’ll try to get some footage of the sign on Sunday night. So far the quality has vastly improved as the test phase has gone on. At first it was very grainly and only partial images were coming up. Now the images are much more clear engaging.
Thanks mate,
I’d take up the suggestion to fly over, but poor investment choices have hit that idea for six.
Appreciate your efforts.
Matt, firstly I thank you for the nice photo and all the valuable contributions related to Disney’s Sign, it was greatly appreciated. By surfing the internet, I found the Big Apple Blog on 14/04/05, posted it on HotCopper Financial Forum Australia, and as you can see, there has been an immediate response to your writing. Yes Matt, Lumacom Australia, listed on the ASX under the code “LUM,” has finally achieved to build their MARKETING SIGN right in the middle of the Greatest City/location and business centre. What regards to investment, from now on, Lumacom would be worth to watch. Lumacom has another 3 Signs built in Istanbul with the pending Official Handover of two major ones atop of Marmara Hotel – Taksim Square only days away. Another Lumacom Sign is in Barcelona and also Moscow, but these Signs are not original Lumapanels – different technology.
Thanks Matt once again, and have good fun, Best Regards from Mike.
miketyson259@hotmail.com
As for owenaoz “thank you pal for your contribution of booting MikeTyson out of HC”. Have a nice day and enjoy yourself.
Hi all, seems interest in the Lumacom sign atop 4TS has waned. Or have the photos and talk moved somewhere else?
I was wondering, now that the sign is operational, what’s it like having motion picures outside my window? Is it worth watching or simply a blaze of distint lights?
Cheers,
R,
Hi Matt, it would be really excellent to hear from someone like you, who is actually able to see Lumacom Sign during the night, what sort of the images is LUM Sign running ATM? Many thanks in advance for your comment!
Matt, I also wish to know what kind of the clips is being recently displayed on the Lumacom Sign?
Your comment will be highly appreciated by many of us from Australia.
Thanks Matt!!!!!!
Look forward to hearing from you