By Jorge Casuso

August 19, 2026 – As large digital billboards begin going up that opponents fear will turn the Promenade into a mini Las Vegas strip, an idyllic vision of the walk street is generating plenty of comments on social media.

Construction crews this month began erecting the steel frames for the first of 16 digital billboards that span up to 1,000 square feet each and wrap around buildings at the north and south ends of the 1200 block between Arizona Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard ("Council Approves Digital Billboards Downtown," December 22, 2025).

If all 16 digital displays are installed, the cash-strapped City government could reap as much as $7 million per year in today's dollars, and potentially much more, under the 30-year development agreements.

It is also hoped the billboards will enliven a struggling walk street that remains dotted with vacant spaces slowly being filled by some high-profile tenants. As the transformation unfolds -- spurred by activations around major regional events like the FIFA World Cup that drew thousands of visitors -- a reimagined version of the Promenade is drawing attention.

Rendering of Promenade as a park ( X/@Raadmobrem)

The renderings posted on social media by Raad Mobrem transform the paved three-block stretch into a lush oasis with a small brook winding past inviting seating areas flanked by existing retailers, with an alternative rendering including access points for emergency vehicles.

"I think a great way to save Third Street Promenade and have it thrive is to turn it into a park," wrote Mobrem, who posted the renderings. "Instead of it just being a shopping spot, it's a place people can come hang out, eat, drink, catch some sun, and do some shopping."

Commenters have praised the idyllic vision but were quick to point out that the park-like street would invite more homeless and require expensive maintenance. They also note that the renderings don't include outdoor dining, a major draw for the Promenade, or the new digital billboards.

The billboards and renderings come nearly two years after the City Council paved the way for a more dynamic Downtown by unanimously approving updates to the City's zoning rules to allow everything from animated signs to game arcades.

Last summer, Santa Monica launched Southern California's first entertainment zone, allowing visitors to buy alcoholic drinks on the Promenade and consume them on the street ("Council Approves Scaled Down Entertainment Zone," May 14, 2025).

And this June, the Santa Monica Police Department opened its new 863-square-foot Downtown substation on the ground floor of Santa Monica Place that serves as a public safety command center and community engagement hub ("SMPD Opens New Downtown Substation," June 1, 2026).