Shaun Higgins, chair of the Hamilton Visitors Bureau board, said they’ve been looking for a new home since the announcement of the Anthony Wayne project. With the help and guidance from the city and the CORE Fund, the organization found the future home of the Hamilton Welcome Center, or at least it’s a “98%” certainty. Higgins said they just haven’t signed the contract yet.
The plan is to move to 150 High St. (though its entrance will be off North 2nd Street) next to Alexander’s Market & Deli, which is on the first floor of the StarTek building.
“We’re looking at a build-out there,” said Higgins of the building owned by the CORE Fund. In addition to a visitor’s center, the plans are also to have a front lobby and office area.
As Hamilton continues its decades-plus-long revitalization, the Welcome Center has become more important, Higgins said.
“We’re getting a lot more phone calls, a lot more foot traffic, and in this location (at the corner of High and South Monument streets), especially with all the activity going on in town with both entertainment and arts, and soon to be sports,” Higgins said. “We are basically the welcoming arm, the information center for what’s going on in the area. It’s going to be very important.”
The move will not only allow the Welcome Center to be more visible, but also more accessible and centrally located. The move will also coincide with the development of new branding and logos, which Higgins said “will be a whole relaunch of the Hamilton Visitors Bureau.”
There isn’t a timeline yet on when the bureau will move from 1 High St. to 150 High St., but the “goal is to be in and functioning before the year’s over.”
The Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President Dan Bates called it “a great move” that’s not only good for the Hamilton Visitors Bureau but also for Alexander’s Market & Deli with the increased foot traffic.
“I think we’re looking forward to having a grand opening celebration combination of the visitor center and Alexander’s,” he said.
Higgins said the Welcome Center is not just for visitors to the city as residents can also use it as a resource. The center keeps track of calendars of multiple organizations, including the city, and has information on events, the history of the city, and more.
“If you’re looking for something to do, and if you have friends and family coming to town, it’s a nice place to start to show off the city of Hamilton,” Higgins said.
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