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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > February > 23 > Entry
What could make Butler County a tourism destination?
Riverfront development, better signage and an indoor sports complex are just a few of the ideas presented to local leaders Monday, Feb. 23, as ways to make Butler County a tourism destination when the recession breaks.
This followed a Butler County visitor’s bureau commissioned study by Zeitgeist Consulting of what Butler County had to offer and what regional tourists want.
The full report is below:
(Click on the top right corner to enlarge)
It’s an interesting read, with some in-depth analysis of what has been tried in other parts of the county, how much some of these initiatives could cost and what the benefit could be.
Analysis:
Geist said the county needs to help people find these attractions. He suggested better, more noticeable signs — an investment that could cost $500,000 but would pay dividends, he said.
More ambitious suggestions included development along Hamilton’s riverfront, which he said is a massive, wasted asset.
The city’s RiversEdge project would do just that, city officials say, but it looks like a distant dream with the economy in shambles.
Hamilton Vice Mayor Pat Moeller said the recession shouldn’t stop local governments from planning for the future. “We of course hope that during this economy, the ideas keep rolling,” he said.
Middletown City Manager Judy Gilleland said the recession “is a good time to do some long-range planning.”
Geist also suggested an indoor sports complex to lure tourism dollars during the challenging winter months. This would be an ideal use for an old manufacturing facility that has fallen out of use, he said.
Geist said this could cost up to $3 million and bring $1 million a year into the community while being a resource for residents.
The most expensive suggestion with the greatest possibly return, Geist said, is a convention center for the increasing number of healthcare businesses along Interstate 75. A 150,000 square foot facility could cost $100 million, he said, with an annual benefit of up to $20 million a year.
Geist admitted that his suggestions seem far-fetched as governments are trying to cut costs. “It’s painful in the beginning,” he said. “But the payoff in the end is a more attractive community and more tax revenues.”
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Comments
By Jerome
February 24, 2009 10:10 AM | Link to this
The best long term ROI would be investment in the deep historic aspects of Butler County which display our unique place in history: ( Fort Hamilton, Mad Anthony Wayne, Chief Little Turtle, Arthur St. Clair) A combined outdoor drama & concert center could attract tourism and continued investment.