The Cavaliers and Dan Gilbert-backed investment firm Rock Ventures "plan to drape the roof of Quicken Loans Arena with an LED banner promoting the facility and its eponymous sponsor," according to Michelle Jarboe of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. The 360-by-90-foot sign "won't be visible from surrounding streets," but will be an "unmissable addition to flyover shots of downtown Cleveland, where the Quicken Loans name could occupy prime-time real estate during major sporting events and this summer's Republican National Convention." The Cavs are "asking the Cleveland City Planning Commission to approve the sign this week so that construction can start quickly and be finished by mid-May -- in time" for the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Cavs CEO Len Komoroski said that the installation will "dovetail with a roof replacement project at the 22-year-old arena." Jarboe notes the public "foots the bill for big-ticket repairs" at the arena, which the nonprofit Gateway Economic Development Corp. owns and leases to the Cavs. The roughly $6.25M cost of the roof replacement "will be paid using funds generated by a countywide 'sin tax' on cigarettes and alcohol." The Cavs will "pay to install and maintain the rooftop sign." Komoroski said that he "couldn't provide a price tag for that project." He added that the sign "doesn't necessarily represent an extra source of cash" for the team under the team's naming-rights deal with Quicken. Komoroski: "There's no real material effect as it relates to our partnership with Quicken Loans or the revenue associated with that" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 3/18).
