Arsht Center Digital Billboards Backed by County Mayor
The proposed 1,800-square-foot signs would tower over Biscayne Boulevard to generate revenue for arts programming.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Fine Art
Live Poll
Should local performance centers install digital billboards to generate operating revenue?
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has endorsed a plan to install two massive digital billboards at the Adrienne Arsht Center. The signs are intended to support the center's operations, though the proposal faces opposition from City of Miami leadership.
Why it matters
The project aims to secure at least $1 million in annual advertising revenue to fund the center’s performances and student programs. Whether the signs will fundamentally alter the visual landscape along the I-395 corridor remains a point of contention for local officials.
The proposal calls for two 1,800-square-foot digital signs standing 120 feet above Biscayne Boulevard, projected to generate $1 million in annual revenue. It is currently unclear if the county commission will grant the necessary zoning approvals.
The players
Daniella Levine Cava
The Mayor of Miami-Dade County who has endorsed the proposed digital billboard installation.
Eileen Higgins
The City of Miami official who opposes the installation of the digital billboards.
Adrienne Arsht Center
The county-owned performing arts venue seeking to install digital signs for operational revenue.
Perez Art Museum Miami
The local museum that constructed an 1,800-square-foot sign in 2024.
The details
The Adrienne Arsht Center seeks these high-altitude displays to promote performances to commuters on I-395, with ad rotations limited to eight seconds and a shift to a static logo after midnight. Because the county owns the building, the Miami-Dade County Commission holds the authority for the zoning approval process. The project follows a similar 2024 installation of an 1,800-square-foot sign at the Perez Art Museum Miami.
Timeline
2024: The Perez Art Museum Miami completed the installation of its own digital sign.
October 6, 2026: A scheduled County Commission hearing for the billboard proposal was cancelled.
Beyond the 305
This proposal follows the precedent set by the 2024 installation of a digital sign at the Perez Art Museum Miami. The Arsht Center’s plan essentially mirrors that existing display, extending the presence of commercial signage on major public cultural institutions.
Drivers along the I-395 corridor should prepare for potential new signage that would cycle through advertisements every eight seconds. The project’s impact on local arts funding depends on the upcoming vote by the Miami-Dade County Commission.
The takeaway
The Arsht Center’s push for digital revenue shows the city’s ongoing struggle to balance public art space with commercial advertising needs. Residents should monitor the Miami-Dade County Commission calendar for the next hearing date on the zoning proposal.
Further reading
You can find more updates on local cultural infrastructure at Fine Art.
Live Poll
Should local performance centers install digital billboards to generate operating revenue?
