Sampson County Exposition Center, Clinton, NC

The Sampson County Exposition Center, located in Clinton, NC, hosts more than 380 functions and events annually, from wedding receptions and banquets, to trade shows and concerts. The facility offers meeting and event spaces that can host events for groups containing 50 to 1,450 guests.

In order to let the public know about upcoming events, the Expo Center installed a two-sided monument sign containing twin digital message centers manufactured by Watchfire Signs. The facility recently upgraded to 12mm from 19mm resolution signs.

“Our sign is located at ground level, so we wanted the digital displays to be able to showcase photos and animations that would grab the attention of motorists and generate interest in the events,” said Ray Jordan, executive director of Sampson County Exposition Center. 

Advertising on the digital message centers is a value-added service that the Expo Center provides to groups using the space. It also is a way for the facility itself to direct inquiries to event sponsors and reduce the number of calls about events that come to the Expo Center.

Programming the signs is easy. Expo center staff asks event organizers for logos, photos and information, and then uses Watchfire Ignite EasyArt to create interest-grabbing graphics.

The Expo Center installed its first digital signs years ago, and upgraded to Watchfire because of the quality and service. “We’ve had almost no issues with our Watchfire signs, and if we did need service, I could talk with our local representative or reach Watchfire customer service right away,” said Jordan.

When it was time to replace his original sign, Jordan worked with Atlantic Sign Media in Burlington, NC. The company was able to structure a lease for the signs that worked with the budgeting process of the facility and included maintenance. When the lease concluded, Atlantic Sign Media was able to replace the displays with higher resolution units.

“I’ve been specifying Watchfire signs for more than 25 years,” said Joe Rickman, owner at Atlantic Sign Media. “We deal almost exclusively with Watchfire when a customer wants a digital sign because the product, service and partnership are all excellent.”

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