Hollywood Sign Trust looking to open visitor center

The private trust that owns and maintains the Hollywood Sign is looking to open a visitor center in coming years, in hopes of providing visitors a "richer experience" at one of the Southland's most recognizable landmarks. 

Orchestrated by The Hollywood Sign Trust, the plan hopes to open a visitor center in accordance with the yearlong celebration of the sign's 100th anniversary, also coming fresh off the heels of the makeover in September.

The trust says the plan is "in line with its mission to protect and preserve the iconic symbol of the entertainment industry — as well as educate the world about the Sign's historical and cultural importance for generations to come," a statement says. 

With hopes of raising funds to build the center, utilizing sponsorships and membership opportunities, the campaign will also offer residents a chance to put their say into the operation when it comes to concept designs and a possible location of the center. 

"People from all over the world have been captivated by the recent transformation of the Hollywood Sign, and now with fresh paint and the upcoming 100th anniversary, we are thrilled to move ahead on plans to create a one-of-a-kind Visitor Center," said Jeff Zarrinnam, chair of the Hollywood Sign Trust. "Over the years, visitors and locals have expressed great interest in a 'close-up' experience where they can learn more about the roots of the Hollywood Sign and its legendary stories, and the epic hopes and dreams the sign continues to inspire."

The Sign first went up in 1923 as a wooden-lettered billboard for an upscale real estate development in the hills above Los Angeles. Lit by spotlights, its original wording "Hollywoodland" was dropped to just Hollywood, and It took on the role of a giant marquee for a city that was constantly announcing its own gala premier. Intended to last just 18 months, the Hollywood Sign celebrates 100 years this year.

It was restored in 1978 with Hugh Hefner, Andy Williams, Alice Cooper, Gene Autry and others pledging funds to help the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce rebuild the famous monument.

Millions of people visit the sign yearly in hopes of catching the perfect lasting image of the lasting symbol of Hollywood's golden age. 

"I just wanted to take pictures with it and post it on social media to show people where I've been for my birthday," said Lesly Armah, a tourist visiting the sign Thursday evening with her family as part of her 14th birthday. 

The Armah family had a steep task locating the sign, stopping to ask multiple people how to find it. 

It's reasons like this that local residents are less than enthused by the pending decision to open up a visitor center. 

"The traffic is terrible and people stop literally right in the middle of the street," said Steven Fisk.

With so many people looking to witness the history for themselves, rather than just see it in the hundreds of television shows and films it has made appearances in, the roads leading up Mount Lee often look more like a Disneyland ride than a neighborhood. 

"Before the pandemic, our doorbell would ring regularly with people asking, 'Can I use your bathroom?'" said Joy Efron, another resident living in the area. 

This is one of the many reasons that the trust wants to institute the visitor center, in hopes of managing the constant flow of visitors. 

"The idea behind it is, you can never stop the traffic, you can manage it," said Ferris Wehbe, a member of the board of trustees. "We want to engage the neighbors and people that businesses and live in this area so they will go on the website and they'll have input of where the visitors center have to be."

He says the center doesn't have to be in the neighborhood— it's just has to have a great view of the sign itself.

"There are some high-rise buildings coming up in the flats of Hollywood, maybe somebody will have a nice  viewing platform with a restaurant. It would be a win-win," he said.

Still, neighbors don't think the center will deter anyone from driving up to the sign itself. 

"It won't discourage anyone from driving here to see it," Efron said. "I mean there are people from all over the world who come."

The center isn't expected to open anytime soon, as the trust plans to use the next year getting ideas from the public, as well as hopefully finding a good spot to build the center before going through the necessary approvals and getting the business aspects put together.