EGO-CRAZED MAYOR IS BLASTED FOR ERECTING 'HOLOGRAM' OF HERSELF AT AIRPORT AS GALLING COST REVEALED
A 'hologram' of Jacksonville's mayor that welcomed travelers to Jacksonville International Airport has been removed after being there since December 2024.
The box had a 3D screen that depicted a life-sized video of Mayor Donna Deegan, a Democrat, greeting visitors in multiple languages.
Deegan, a 61-year-old former television news anchor, received a torrent of criticism for deciding to display herself on the interactive machine, which was developed by startup Proto.
Members of the city council were concerned with the price tag for the hologram, which rose to $66,000, according to First Coast News.
The Florida Department of Government Efficiency, a state-level agency meant to mimic Elon Musk's DOGE, released a report that said the hologram initially cost $30,000 to purchase. The total cost rose to $75,000, the agency said.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who oversees Florida DOGE, said this was an example of 'wasteful spending'.
Deegan has said the hologram cost only $29,000 out of a $9 million city budget.
A spokesperson for the city clarified that the hologram installation was never going to be in the airport permanently.
'It was always a pilot project for the proto box to be placed at the airport while we tested and debuted the hologram technology. Our six-month agreement with JIA ended on February 1. The proto box has been returned to the City while we explore additional public education projects for the Public Works Department,' the spokesperson said in a statement.
'Additionally, it was unfair to the airport to be subject to constant hyper-partisan attacks,' the spokesperson added.
Deegan has previously defended the hologram as an investment in 'cutting-edge technology'.
'At the end of the day, we’re talking about a handful of dollars that I believe keeps us on the cutting-edge of technology,' Deegan said in early January.
Read more 2026-02-04T22:12:28Z