Cash-Strapped Italy to Sell Colosseum Ad Space for Restoration
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Italy is shopping for a corporate sponsor willing to shell out 25 million euros ($33 million) to refurbish the 2,000-year-old Colosseum, where gladiators once did battle.
Under terms of the contract made public on Aug. 4, the bidder will pay for 100 percent of the restoration in exchange for advertising rights and associated perks linked to Rome’s biggest tourist attraction. The Colosseum draws more than 5 million visitors a year, producing 35 million euros in ticket sales that is used for the upkeep of monuments across the city.