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# Residents wary of corporate naming
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/residents-wary-of-corporate-naming/
- Published: 2002-07-19T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:33:16.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Pier, #archive-import

Last week the Santa Monica City Council adopted an official policy that allows public facilities and places to be named after corporations or individuals that contribute monetarily or beneficially to the community.

Here are your responses to this week’s Q-Line question: “Do you have a problem with corporate naming of public property? Will it benefit or harm the city?” ■ “Although naming rights are assets a city could sell, I don’t believe the City of Santa Monica is empowered to or should sell such rights in exchange for the naming of existing facilities. However, if organizations donate tangible assets for new projects such as land or funding, then naming that new facility after the donor should be considered.” ■ “The City Council has done it again. Their latest scheme, and I think this is to get favorable reviews by the public, is to name public property after corporations and individuals. Yes, I do have a problem with this. I wonder if the corporations or individuals have contributed to their campaigns or do business with these same people? This is another one of their ill advised plans, just like the transportation mall that turned traffic into a nightmare. I hope that when the November election comes up, the voting public sees the light and they do something about the council and vote in veritas. Just because Feinstein and McKeown didn’t go along with the majority does not mean they have not supported other ridiculous, hair-brained ideas and ordinances.” ■ “I disagree with Mayor Mike Feinstein and Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown.” ■ “The Santa Monica City Council should stop coming up with bad ideas. Corporations and individuals giving money to the city will only pay less taxes. Thanks Mr. Feinstein and Mr. McKeown. Keep up your positions against the council ideas.” ■ “There is no reason to ban corporate naming. Corporations employ millions of people in America. With current budget crunches, corporations can help donate money to continue city services. Michael Feinstein, our mayor, was way out of line with his comment and should be ashamed of himself. Maybe he would be happier in communist North Korea?” ■ “I think that the Bubba Gump Corporation should make a huge contribution to the City of Santa Monica and that everything in Santa Monica should be named after Bubba Gump. We could have the Bubba Gump Pier, the Bubba Gump Park, the Bubba Gump Civic Center, the Bubba Gump Police Station and the Bubba Gump Library. Finally, that monstrosity at the top of the California Incline could be replaced by a giant shrimp and call it the Bubba Gump Monument. In fact, the entire city of Santa Monica could be saved. Bubba Gump City!” ■ “Most definitely. Corporate promotions are everywhere. Public space is the only thing left free of corporate naming, and it should stay that way. Besides, taxpayers pay for public space. Perhaps the idea works in a place like Orange County, where large corporations and chain stores dominate most everything already. Here in Santa Monica large corporations do not, not yet anyway. There are a lot of great independent shops and a great sense of community. Community pride will be lessened because there is more pride in saying let’s go to the Santa Monica Pier instead of saying let’s go to the Enron Pier. Less interesting places bring less tourism dollars.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 19, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/071902.pdf?ref=smdp.com)