Denver International Airport's $14.5 Million Sign Goes Dark

Denver International Airport likes to do things on a grand scale, from its mountaintop-like roof to the wintertime ice skating rink it's operated. Not to mention the airport's massive growth plans for the coming years, looking to expand the airport with an additional 39 gates costing $1.5 billion. It's no surprise, then, that when it comes to signage, the airport goes big as well.

Anyone flying in or out of Denver International Airpot (DEN) in the past year has surely noticed the giant LED lighting and advertising display on Pena Blvd. The sign, which was built by Panasonic, was supposed to be a key feature of the airport — not to mention show off Panasonic's new LED lighting technology. With a price tag of $14.5 million, the display is malfunctioning only 16 months after being turned on, according to an article from the Denver Post.

The sign, which is made of LED rods programmed to smoothy switch between colors and large monitor displays to show advertising, has been a constant headache since its installation. Now, the airport has finally decided to shut down the rods until Panasonic can correct the issue. Airport spokesperson Emily Williams told the Post that, "The airport has chosen to turn off the sticks until Panasonic can fix the problems that are occurring." The larger monitors that display messages and advertising, however, are still working.

Is this simply a case of malfunctioning technology, or could it be part of a new conspiracy theory for the airport? Only time will tell.

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Featured Photo by Denver International Airport