Big Bucks for Billboard in Peabody

It’s not every day that the city gets its hands on a check for a cool half-a-million dollars.

But that’s what happened recently as Peabody officials received a check for $500,000 from Ion the Ball, LLC to construct and rent space for a billboard at Rtes. 95 and 128 on city property.

The $500,000 covers rent for the property for two years.

Ion the Ball, LLC also operates high-visibility billboards in Canton, Methuen, Rehoboth, and Salisbury, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Payment for the first two years of the lease was due after all proper permits were acquired by Ion the Ball, which took place on Oct. 1 of this year.