Back in April, I wtote a long post about delays to the i360 project. Brighton's i360 was originally supposed to open in Spring this year and it now looks as if the project has been delayed to the second half of 2012, at the earliest. Today's Brighton Argus includes a story headlined 'Brighton Eye to miss 2012 target' about the ongoing problems (no online version as yet). Marks-Barfield, the developers, are now trying to sell sponsorship of the tower's name "in a bid to close the funding gap".
Tony Mernagh of the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership is quoted in the article saying "I would expect a business whose core market is young and trendy would be attracted to this, someone like a fashion label, or maybe an alcohol brand… We could be talking about the Smirnoff Tower in a few years' time." Nice.
The i360 is still no closer to completion. I'd still like to see it finished, preferably without a tacky name, but the continued delays and threats to the project make the vandalism of the West Pier seem even more shameful.
It’s a big needle, innit. They should use it to raise issues and debate around drug awareness.
That or INJECT NEWS INTO THE SKY.
Just to clarify. You want it not to have a tacky name, when it’s default is going to be the i360.
I admit, an actual brand name would be slightly worse than the weird portmanteau of two tech brand labels, but only a little.