If you want tourism dollars, be tourism-friendly January 16, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions.1 comment so far
This excerpt in an article in the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph caught my attention:
Between June 2006 and June 2007, the tourism industry funneled about $29.5 million through neighboring Logan County. During that same time, DeWitt County counted about $9.1 million.
“I understand that Logan County is twice the size of DeWitt County in terms of population,” Wollet said. “But tourism dollars aren’t about population. It’s money coming into the county from outside. What does Logan County have that DeWitt County doesn’t and why are they drawing so much more in tourism dollars?”
Logan County’s Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau Director, Geoff Ladd, said the numbers are based on a report from the Illinois Bureau of Tourism and include money spent on lodging, meals and other items. Last year, Logan County saw a rise of 5.8 percent in tourism dollars; Ladd attributed the increase to a renewed interest in Route 66 sites.
Clinton City Administrator Tim Followell said the process of recording tourism dollars is not an exact science.
“Logan County has stock car racing, some festivals and two universities which draw people to spend the night,” Followell said. “But I also don’t understand how to explain the difference.”
Allow me.
I’m not discounting the possibility that Logan County is getting some tourism money because someone is returning a political favor in terms of tourism referrals. That’s pretty easy to believe, given the accusations against the current governor. Illinois has always been a “scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” state.
But I’m far more willing to entertain the fact that Logan County is getting more money simply because it has an effective tourism director. Geoff Ladd was the one who saved The Mill in Lincoln from the wrecking ball. He’s the one who moved the Giant Abe Lincoln in a Giant Covered Wagon to Lincoln. The tourism bureau published an attractive tourism guide. It added a Route 66 twist to an Abe Lincoln festival. It helped with the 37 Miles of Smiles garage sale.
Looking over that last paragraph, it’s pretty obvious that Logan County has a very proactive tourism chief. Naturally, that gets attention and leads to tourism dollars.
At least it seems Clinton has taken the hint. According to the article, it’s hiring a tourism director.
A look at the Arcadia Route 66 exhibit January 16, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Museums.add a comment
The Pasadena (Calif.) Star-News went over to the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum in Arcadia, Calif., and checked out the Route 66 exhibition there.
And it sounds like the folks who put it together did a good job:
On display in the museum’s right-hand corridor are photos, maps and artifacts that trace the historic route, which wound its way from Chicago to Los Angeles, with a stop in Arcadia along the way.
A large portion of the exhibit is dedicated to photographs of storefronts that once lined the path of Route 66 in Arcadia.
Roadside businesses — including Dewey Butler’s corn stand and the Wigwam orange juice stand that stood on Foothill — are represented, along with many art-deco motels and gas stations.
“Most of those buildings are long gone now,” Dunn said.
One of the few exceptions is Rod’s Grill on Huntington Drive. The longtime establishment has been open for business more than 60 years.
Eaton’s Santa Anita Restaurant and Hotel at the corner of Colorado and Michillinda was not so lucky. It closed in 1969, when it was seized by the IRS for $42,000 in unpaid taxes.
But, like the key to room No. 53 at Eaton’s, Dunn said these nostalgic images from the past could unlock lost memories and get visitors talking about what they remember about Route 66.
The exhibit will be there through March 28. So check it out before it’s gone.
Senate passes bill containing Route 66 program January 15, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Preservation.2 comments
The U.S. Senate approved the massive public lands bill by a 73-21 margin Thursday afternoon, reported the Clovis (N.M.) News-Journal.
The measure contains 160 bills, including a reauthorization of the well-regarded Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for another 10 years. The Route 66 program provides cost-share grants and other assistances to historic businesses and property owners on the Mother Road, and had been slated to sunset in late 2009.
The measure had been held up for weeks by a legislative hold by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called a rare Sunday session a few days ago, and the Senate easily advanced the measure.
A similar measure goes to the House. The bill, reintroduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) last week, will likely be among the first bills signed into law by President-elect Barack Obama.
Movie star becomes spokeswoman for World Monuments Fund January 15, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, People, Preservation, Television.add a comment
Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn has decided to be a spokeswoman for the World Monuments Fund, reports United Press International today.
The WMF is an independent group dedicated to preserving the world’s historic treasures. Route 66 was placed on the group’s Watch List in 2008.
Tripplehorn’s involvement is good enough news. But there’s this:
“I am especially interested in WMF’s wonderful program, the World Monuments Watch, through which they announce, every other year, a list of 100 most endangered sites. One of the most recent Watch sites is Route 66, which runs through my hometown of Tulsa, Okla., and ends not too far from where I now live in Los Angeles,” Tripplehorn noted. “We all take for granted that the places we love will be around forever, but that’s clearly not the case, not even with Route 66, a familiar reminder to me of home. So, I am proud to speak out on behalf of the World Monuments Fund, which has been saving historic sites for more than 40 years, from Beijing to Rome to Tulsa.”
Tripplehorn, 45, stars in the HBO TV series “Big Love” and in the movies “Basic Instinct” and “The Firm.” She has more than 40 credits in television and film.
“Life Ain’t Always Beautiful” January 14, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Music, People, Signs.1 comment so far
Check out the neon sign during this video by Gary Allan. It’s from the Holiday Motel on the Strip in Las Vegas — one of the last survivors of vintage motels there.
The song itself has a interesting history. Allan recorded it shortly after his wife committed suicide. Several of the songs from the excellent “Tough All Over” album are emotionally searing like that, and it made one wonder how Allen had the strength to go into the studio and sing those. But Allan said in interviews that it would have been much worse for him to stay at home after the tragedy; he saw the recording process as a cathartic experience.
Oatman Road placed on infrastructure stimulus list January 13, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways.add a comment
About 48 miles of Oatman Road, aka Route 66, from just west of Kingman, Ariz., to Golden Shores, Ariz., is being slated for “pavement reconstruction” by Mohave County with President-elect Barack Obama’s upcoming economic stimulus package, reports the Mohave Daily News.
The Oatman Road repairs would cost $12 million. Of course, the Obama administration could accept or reject the request.
Don’t be surprised to read more requests like this in the coming days, especially for more-dilapidated sections of the Mother Road. Area highway commissioners, however, should take care to keep the old character of the road as much as possible.
Marine base expansion may threaten access to Route 66 January 13, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Highways, Preservation, Towns.3 comments
The U.S. Marine Corps is considering a possible expansion of its Air Ground Combat Center in Southern California that may restrict or cut off access to Route 66 and other spots in that area from about Cadiz Summit to just west of Amboy.
According to Kell Brigan, who is fighting the Marines’ possible land acquisition:
The expansion, if executed, would remove the entirety of Amboy Crater from public access, and restrict public use of Route 66 to the northern side only. It is even possible that the public would lose some or all access to this section of Route 66 altogether.
As residents and property owners in the Wonder Valley area east of Twentynine Palms, we are of course concerned about potential environmental impacts, increases in noise and dust, possible danger from training exercises to local residents, or even the condemnation and loss of our homes. In addition, like you, we also hope to maintain public access to Historic Route 66, including the scenically, geologically and historically precious Amboy Crater, as well as nearby archaeological and geological study sites. We support the U.S. military, and understand the need for appropriate lands for training and combat exercises. However, we believe the USMC should reconsider this expansion into lands which are so dear to both local residents and visitors. We invite you to join with residents of the Mojave in encouraging the USMC to consider alternatives less damaging to the citizens that call these parts of the desert home, or who regularly visit and explore these regions.
A partial map of the proposed expansion is here:
A lot of nature-lovers especially would oppose the proposal if it cut off access to Amboy Crater.
The Marines are in the public-comment stage of the proposal. A group called Neighbors of the 29 Palms Marine Base Expansion has prepared a set of guidelines about the Marines’ proposal through Jan. 30. A sample letter of talking points can be downloaded here (Word document). The group has a fairly comprehensive overview of the proposal and the issues therein here.
Hello from Russia January 12, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.3 comments
I have to admit, this version of “Route 66″ by Sersh Sakenoff is one of the most unusual I’ve heard:
Not your typical teenybopper band January 12, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.2 comments
If fact, I’ll bet that not one of these kids is out of grade school yet.
Senate advances bill that would renew Route 66 program January 11, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Preservation.add a comment
As expected, the U.S. Senate advanced the Omnibus Lands Bill by a 66-12 margin during a rare Sunday session. The bill, reintroduced a few days ago by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), contains a section to extend the well-regarded Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for another 10 years.
Disappointingly, Oklahoma Sens. Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn both voted against the bill, despite the Route 66 program directly helping numerous Route 66 businesses in the Sooner State.
Coburn, a longtime deficit hawk who placed a legislative hold on the same bill last month, did what could be described as a lot of whining as the measure was being passed Sunday.
Coburn’s fiscal stance, however, would have been a lot more substantive if he hadn’t voted for the massive $700 billion bailout of the financial services industry a few weeks ago.
The lands bill is expected to be taken up for a vote by the Senate as soon as Monday. It’s expected to pass, as the measures contained in it have wide bipartisan support. The U.S. House is expected to vote on the bill later in the week. According to one report, the bill could be the first measure signed by incoming President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office Jan. 20.
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program provides annual cost-share grants and other assistance to historic businesses on the Mother Road. The National Park Service program had been scheduled to sunset in late 2009. But the reauthorization would allow it to continue until 2019.