Citgo Sign Remains Until 2048 – Is Citgo Popular In Mass.?

The Red Sox season is over - but in 2026 we should see a slightly higher in the sky Citgo sign near Fenway.

The Citgo sign in Boston is a famous landmark that shines bright over Kenmore Square. It's been there since 1940, first as a Cities Service sign, then changed to Citgo in 1965. Fans love seeing it behind Fenway Park's Green Monster. Even with new buildings planned around Fenway, the sign is staying put! -wcvb.com

The Citgo sign's future

It's being moved just a little - about 30 feet higher and 120 feet back on the same roof. The plan is in place, however, there has been no action yet. This will keep it visible during Red Sox games, even as a new office building goes up starting in 2026.

The new lease came in 2018 after lots of worry. Citgo, the building owner Related Beal, and the City of Boston agreed to keep the sign for 30 more years, until 2048. This private deal means no big changes without everyone's okay. The sign is 60 feet by 60 feet, made of LED lights now, and it gets fixed up to stay safe and bright.

Has the sign ever been controversial?

Yes, it was controversial. In the 1980s and 2000s, people talked about taking it down because of energy costs or building plans. Boston folks protested, calling it a city icon. The mayor stopped it from becoming an official landmark to avoid rules, but the lease saved it.

How popular is Citgo in Massachusetts?

Citgo has a good footprint in Massachusetts with about 112 gas stations across the state. They're not the biggest - Exxon has more - but they offer cheap gas and local jobs. The company is profitable overall. In 2025's second quarter, they made $100 million in profit after a small loss earlier.

Charity

Citgo has been charitable too. Starting in 2005, they gave discounted heating oil to poor families in Massachusetts and other states, helping over two million people with $400 million worth of oil. But the program stopped around 2020 because of problems in Venezuela, where Citgo's parent company is from. Still, the sign and stations keep Citgo strong in Boston.