BATON ROUGE (AP) — The Baton Rouge Area Foundation says it's taking ownership of a 1950s neon Coca-Cola sign under an agreement to get it glowing after 15 dark months.
Executive Vice President John Spain tells The Advocate’s Rebekah Allen the foundation negotiated an agreement with Mike Crouch, who owns the building under the sign.
He turned it off in May 2014, demanding insurance and maintenance compensation. His attorney could not be reached for comment.
Coca-Cola representatives said the building's original owners donated the sign to the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, which worked with Coca-Cola to maintain it. They also said it was the last original version of its kind.
Spain says Coca-Cola will continue maintenance, and Entergy will cover power costs. He says the foundation will raise money to change it from neon, which is getting harder to maintain.
