NPA/Contest Promotions on the Brink of Collapse 4 Years After NYSAT

video footage taken early August 2013.

PublicAdCampaign readers will know that we squared off with a company called National Promotions of America, or more recently, Contest Promotions in the past. While we take issue with all forms of advertising in public space for numerous reasons discussed on this blog at length, NPA found itself a target for a large scale action due to their bold illegal advertising business model in NYC. After 4 years of legal gymnastics costing the citizens of NYC what I can only imagine to be millions of dollars in legal fees and precious DOB sign enforcement unit time and effort, it looks like karma is finally rearing its head and dishing out what is due.

A little bird that keeps me informed of important updates on NPA's trials and tribulations sent me an email recently to inform me that things were headed south...and fast. While the text below is not a quote, it does reflect the general sentiment of the troubles NPA finds itself in after acting against public interest. While I cant post the breakdown of monetary troubles NPA finds itself in, I can tell you their troubles are in the millions and the company will likely go under due to their reckless behavior and lack of respect for NYC and its residents.

John, we have a few problems that we desperately need to discuss. The NYC Department of Buildings is coming down on us hard with new violations that are classified as aggravated 1 and carry a $25,000.00 fine instead of the usual $10,000.00 if there is a previous violation that has not been corrected. Sadly they are able to attach this new violation to 61 of the 76 BA sites that we have. In fact they have attached 8 aggravated 1’s to a property that will likely have to go to court with the expectation of $200,000.00 in fines along with the $10,000.00 that already exists. I must tell you that the Landlords are getting more upset by the day and that Mary is advising us to take the signs down because she can’t control things at this point. I am afraid that if we don’t pay close attention to this, things will erupt. 

That said, the ECB and the Administrative Law Judges are becoming exhausted with our antics and seem to be siding with the Department of Buildings. I believe the claimants are undermining my testimony in an attempt to discredit my previous statements in court. We have court appearances through December of 2013 with approximately 4-7 cases every week. Unsurprisingly we have not been able to hear more than 3-4 cases each week, which means this issue will not end until well into 2014 as it stands now. Because the new violations are being written at the new aggravated level, we will go even further into 2014. These fines will add up fast and the additional penalties will make it harder for us to settle with the city. I think we should discuss this new situation immediately. . .