Despite popularity, Scripps hat, mustache to come down

Despite a petition that has garnered more than 2,600 signatures, the pillbox hat and mustache atop the Scripps Center must come down.

Two WREW-FM morning radio hosts organized the petition to keep the decorations up indefinitely.

The petition, signed by 94.9 personalities Ray & Karen, reads “After Cincinnati dazzled the nation with our All-Star celebration, it’s only appropriate that one of the most iconic visuals from the festivities permanently remain in the heart of the city forever to commemorate the event. We ask E.W. Scripps, The Mayerson Co. (managers of the building), the Cincinnati Reds and the city of Cincinnati to keep the mustache and pillbox hat atop the Scripps Building.”

But, Adam Mayerson, asset management associate with Mayerson Co., said it’s not that simple. The decorations were not designed to be up for a long period of time.

He said the manufacturing of the vinyl wrapping was designed to be temporary and was told even if it was left up, it wouldn’t last past winter.

The hat and mustache are scheduled to be taken down later this month, although Mayerson said it is entertaining different options for when it might come down, especially because it is a group decision.

“It is the Scripps Center, so they do have a say in what is on the building and things like that,” Mayerson said.

It will end up costing about $100,000 for install and removal from the Scripps Center, hd said.

The postmodern style, 36-story skyscraper was built in 1990 and opened just before another big baseball event in Cincinnati – the 1990 World Series.

The petition, which can be accessed from the 94.9 Facebook page but is hosted on Change.org, had 2,612 signatures by Thursday afternoon.

Some signers at Change.org submitted reasons to keep the decorations up. Tara Kennedy, of Loveland, said it’s an “iconic reminder of the feel-good event that brought the city together.”

Mayerson said the company enjoyed having the vinyl wrap on the building and said maybe there will be other vinyl wrapping opportunities in the future.

“We love that the community loves it as much as we loved getting it up there,” Mayerson said.