Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is rolling out a new sponsorship and advertising program for the state’s rest stops in a continued effort to help offset the costs of reopening 19 of Virginia’s 42 stops.
The program will enable private firms to establish paid sponsorships and advertising at rest areas and welcome centers, as well as manage vending at the locations, to generate extra revenue.
Former Virginia Gov. (and possible U.S. Senate candidate) Tim Kaine shut down the rest stops in 2009 during the throes of the recession in an effort to save the state money. Last April, McDonnell reopened that last of the closed facilities.
“In these fiscally challenging times, we have to look for innovative new solutions for maintaining and operating the Commonwealth’s rest area and welcome center facilities,” said McDonnell. “By partnering with the private sector, we will save taxpayer dollars, and keep our rest areas and welcome centers open.”
It costs about half a million dollars to keep each rest stop up and running, and the state contracts with three outside companies to maintain them, the Post reported.
The request for proposal for the Sponsorship, Advertisiing, and Vending Enhancement (SAVE) program is available here.
McDonnell also signed a bill this year to allow inmates to perform maintenance work at the state’s rest areas as part of his effort to bolster prisoner re-entry efforts and save the state money.
