“They just don’t seem to appreciate that those are private dollars, not tax dollars,” said Tim Brazil, vice president of Media Transit. “There’s absolutely no reason to suspend the advertising program and all the revenue that comes with it.”
The Caesars ad campaign generates about $25,000 in monthly revenue, Brazil said.
“I agree. I hate those ads,” Timm commented in reply to someone who posted a picture of a bus with the Caesars Sportsbook ad, which features entertainer J.B. Smoove dressed as an ancient Roman emperor in a green and gold costume.
The advertisements, which have also appeared on other transit agency buses throughout the state, according to Brazil, is part of a national advertising campaign for the mobile sports betting application and its loyalty rewards program.
A GRTC spokesperson verified the screenshots that Media Transit shared with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, but denied that Timm or any other employee’s personal feelings about Caesars influenced her recommendation to suspend the entire advertising program.
“Ms. Timm has been very clear no employee’s position on the content of any advertising campaign will have any bearing on the acceptance and installation of that advertising campaign on GRTC assets,” said GRTC spokeswoman Carrie Rose Pace in an email last week in response to questions about Timm’s comments on social media.
