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The Berea Tourism Commission is exploring strategies to bring visitors to all parts of the city as part of a plan to boost the local economy..

The Berea Tourism Commission is exploring strategies to bring visitors to all parts of the city as part of a plan to boost the local economy..

The Berea Tourism Commission is exploring strategies to bring visitors to all parts of the city as part of a plan to boost the local economy.

At an Aug. 29 business meeting, the commission explored deploying more advertising banners around the city, as well as hearing ideas about purchasing an LED digital message board.

Berea Business and Tourism Development Director Donna Angel said the city is looking at deploying banners near Interstate 75 exit 77 toward the center of town. The banners would read “Welcome to Berea” on one side, and “Thank You for Exploring Berea” on the other, Angel explained.

The city has experienced some success with banners in Old Town, and the idea would be to deploy them in other areas of the city so that more businesses could benefit from tourist traffic, she added.

“I think we have the opportunity to grow out at the other exit coming up from behind the Kentucky Artisan Center and going through the railroad tracks to Community Trust Bank,” Angel said, adding she is waiting for cost estimates on the banners.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said Bill West, noting business owners from around town have asked him how they can benefit from city tourism promotions. “I think anything we can do to broaden that [impact on businesses] I’m supportive of.”

“I think it’s a great way to add color and to make people feel welcome,” Becky Brown agreed. “I love the idea of thanking them for coming to Berea as they are leaving because that makes them want to come back.”

Rick Thomas said deploying the banners away from traditional tourism centers like Old Town and College Square demonstrates the commission’s commitment to helping all businesses in town.

“In all of our business signage, we need to make sure that exit 77 businesses are supported. Coming from the Artisan Center and that beautiful trail into town, this is another opportunity to send a good message,” Thomas said.

Thomas took the idea a step further, however, noting there needs to be some way of advertising ongoing events like concerts at the Chestnut Street Pavilion, the Levitt Amp Berea concert series, the Berea Farmer’s Market, or events like the Berea Spoonbread Festival. With that in mind, Thomas suggested the possibility of installing some kind of message board near the Chestnut Street Pavilion.

“I think we are overlooking how much traffic is in front of that Tolle Building and what a message center that could be,” Thomas said. “I think we need to look at some kind of permanent, changeable signage there that is more attractive than the vinyl banners we put up temporarily to announce things.”

Angel interjected that having a central board to advertise events all over town could be beneficial.

“It’s a great way to communicate to the community, and one of our missions we are trying to accomplish here in Berea is that the entire city can be represented in some shape or form,” Angel said.

Later in the meeting, Laura Carpenter asked Thomas to clarify if he was referring to the kind of digital LED message billboard at the corner of Big Hill Road and U.S. 25 in Richmond.

“That’s a video board,” Thomas replied. “It’s effective, but expensive, and I don’t know whether we could afford that or not.”

Carpenter suggested even an expensive digital message board could be a good investment for tourism.

“That’s your gateway to Berea,” Carpenter said. “It gets everybody. It gets your locals and it gets your tourists. I like that idea.”

Angel noted that a digital LED message board would likely be deployed on top of the pavilion in some manner if the commission chooses to go in that direction.

“The digital [board] on the pavilion would really help market the whole town. You could advertise venues all over town,” Angel said, citing businesses like the Spotlight Playhouse that offers local theater.

Angel said she just received price and size information on digital billboards and would be passing that information onto commissioners.

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