Visitor Bureau Moving To U.S. 30
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Kosciusko County's Convention and Visitor's Bureau announced plans Tuesday to relocate its offices along U.S. 30 in Warsaw.
The CVB will construct a new office and 24-hour visitor center on a vacant tract between Sym Financial Corp. and Patterson Addition.
The site was chosen for maximum visibility to help serve motorists and potential tourists. Officials hope the office can be open late next year.
The announcement was made Tuesday to the county commissioners.
Although the move has been in the works for nearly three years, the arrival of five new hotels - including two in the near future - is viewed as a challenge by the CVB.
Demand for more hotels has been strong in recent years, but the CVB says it will work harder to maintain a continued strong demand.
The number of rooms available in Warsaw is in the midst of nearly doubling to 674 rooms by early next year when the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn open.
"The only way we can fill those rooms is through continuing to support and promote what Kosciusko County has to offer," said Bruce Shaffner, who sits on the CVB's board of directors. Shaffner is one of the manager-owners of the Ramada Inn and Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw.
The agency has also hired a third employee who will work as a sales director to encourage bus tours and group meetings in the county.
CVB director Linda Arnold said they want the visitor center to be user friendly and will offer brochures and computerized assistance in finding hotel accommodations.
Phones will be available, but the 24-hour center in the building's lobby will not be intended as a rest stop, Arnold said.
Officials talked with other county-operated CVBs, including Marshall, LaPorte and Porter counties for advice on the move.
Although other locations were considered - including the old railroad depot - the U.S. 30 site was chosen because of ideal visibility to travelers, said Jo Lemon, who spoke on behalf of the CVB.
In other matters:
• Approval was given for establishment of several stop signs and a yield sign on county-maintained roads.
Stop signs will be erected at the corner of county roads 200W and 1300S; and yield signs at the intersections of EMS lanes T15 and T15A and T15 and T15B.
• Approval was given for the computer administrator to offer old, unused computer equipment to the public. A proposal to offer the equipment to county employees was scrapped for fear of the appearance of preferential treatment to a select group. The future sale will be advertised locally.
• The commissioners were informed that new carpet would likely be installed this weekend in some of the county offices. [[In-content Ad]]
Kosciusko County's Convention and Visitor's Bureau announced plans Tuesday to relocate its offices along U.S. 30 in Warsaw.
The CVB will construct a new office and 24-hour visitor center on a vacant tract between Sym Financial Corp. and Patterson Addition.
The site was chosen for maximum visibility to help serve motorists and potential tourists. Officials hope the office can be open late next year.
The announcement was made Tuesday to the county commissioners.
Although the move has been in the works for nearly three years, the arrival of five new hotels - including two in the near future - is viewed as a challenge by the CVB.
Demand for more hotels has been strong in recent years, but the CVB says it will work harder to maintain a continued strong demand.
The number of rooms available in Warsaw is in the midst of nearly doubling to 674 rooms by early next year when the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn open.
"The only way we can fill those rooms is through continuing to support and promote what Kosciusko County has to offer," said Bruce Shaffner, who sits on the CVB's board of directors. Shaffner is one of the manager-owners of the Ramada Inn and Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw.
The agency has also hired a third employee who will work as a sales director to encourage bus tours and group meetings in the county.
CVB director Linda Arnold said they want the visitor center to be user friendly and will offer brochures and computerized assistance in finding hotel accommodations.
Phones will be available, but the 24-hour center in the building's lobby will not be intended as a rest stop, Arnold said.
Officials talked with other county-operated CVBs, including Marshall, LaPorte and Porter counties for advice on the move.
Although other locations were considered - including the old railroad depot - the U.S. 30 site was chosen because of ideal visibility to travelers, said Jo Lemon, who spoke on behalf of the CVB.
In other matters:
• Approval was given for establishment of several stop signs and a yield sign on county-maintained roads.
Stop signs will be erected at the corner of county roads 200W and 1300S; and yield signs at the intersections of EMS lanes T15 and T15A and T15 and T15B.
• Approval was given for the computer administrator to offer old, unused computer equipment to the public. A proposal to offer the equipment to county employees was scrapped for fear of the appearance of preferential treatment to a select group. The future sale will be advertised locally.
• The commissioners were informed that new carpet would likely be installed this weekend in some of the county offices. [[In-content Ad]]