Imagine a flowing banner advertising Carnival Cruise Lines hanging from the parking garage at Port Canaveral, now home to eight massive art panels.



How about a Ron Jon Surf Shop ad on the security detectors that passengers pass through before boarding a cruise ship?

All of this is theoretical at the moment, but Canaveral Port Authority officials are exploring the possibility of generating new revenues by allowing the placement of advertisements at various spots around the port, much like what's seen at airport terminals.

Last week, port commissioners unanimously approved publishing a request for proposals to get firms to submit bids on an advertising concession program that would identify ad-appropriate spaces around the port.

They're not sure now much revenue potential is out there but they do know there is a considerable amount of space that could be used for ads.

Rosalind Harvey, Port Canaveral's senior director of communications and community affairs, cited all of the advertisements at the baggage claim areas of the airports in Melbourne and Orlando. You don't find that at the port's Cruise Terminal 10, which sees the most cruise passenger traffic.

"Here, people claim the luggage and go," Harvey said. "There's nothing much in the baggage area to attract their attention."

Harvey said it's too early to define the revenue potential that exists from advertising at the port. That's an estimate that should come out with the proposals.

She did note, however, that on a recent visit to Orlando International Airport even the security bins, where people places their keys and coins, had advertising.

"I was really impressed by that out-of-the-box, or in-the-bin, thinking," Harvey said.

According the latest figures, Port Canaveral attracts about 2 million cruise passengers annually.

Commissioners said they favored the idea for increased revenue potential but they wanted some guidelines.

"I like the idea to bring money in," said Commissioner Ray Sharkey, "if (the advertising) is done tastefully."

No spaces have been selected and port officials caution that anything that is detrimental to the port's aesthetics wouldn't be approved.

"If the issue is one of taste, we will have (advertisers) address that," said J. Stanley Payne, the Canaveral Port Authority's chief executive officer.

FMI: Port weighs options for advertising space | floridatoday.com | FLORIDA TODAY