NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
New York's transit agency is considering selling corporate sponsorships to the city's subway stations, bus lines, bridges and tunnels, according to a published report.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the state agency that oversees the New York City region's transportation system, has issued a formal request for proposals this month from marketing firms interested in selling sponsorships on the agency's behalf.
The paper said sponsorships could range from renaming historic stations to attaching corporate names to future building projects, such as a proposed new subway line underneath the city's Second Avenue. Authority officials told the paper they could easily imagine the Delta Times Square Shuttle or IBM adopting the Tarrytown suburban rail station.
"It's our job to figure out other ways to add revenue," MTA Executive Director Katherine Lapp told the paper. "Every dollar we get from these types of sources is one dollar more we don't have to take in fares and tolls."
But the paper also said they believe the city could have difficulty finding businesses willing to buy such sponsorships.
"To be honest with you, most people don't have good thoughts about it (sponsoring a subway station) at all," said William Chipps, senior editor of IEG Sponsorship Report.
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