Jacksonville, Fla. — The Jacksonville International Airport’s new hologram greeting featuring Mayor Donna Deegan is out of commission less than a month after its debut.
The device is currently turned off and has been moved from its original spot at the center of the atrium and set off to the side.
The hologram sparked outrage from some City Council members after they were told by council auditors that the device cost roughly $75,000 — more than twice as much as the mayor’s initial $30,000 claim.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Read: Mayor Donna Deegan vetoes Meridian Waste contract
On Tuesday, Mayor Deegan defended the spending and explained the device has been having WiFi issues that are currently being fixed.
She said, “At the end of the day, you’re talking about a handful of dollars for something that I think keeps us on the cutting edge of technology, continues to create efficiencies. And listen, whether folks like it or not, communication is a very important part of what we do with our citizens.”
The mayor’s office told us recently the hologram will remain at the airport for at least six months, despite some Republican council members calling for it to be removed immediately.
Read: Jacksonville-based Miller Electric Company to be bought by EMCOR Group Inc.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.