The McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, this week received $250,000 donation spread over five years for a capital campaign for the museum, which includes a new and prominent Cruisin’ with Lincoln on Route 66 visitors center, reported WJBC radio.
“It’ll go to some very significant upgrades using digital technology, as well as outreach,” said Hales. “We felt that was very vital for tourism and continuing to maximize the attraction of the Route 66 Museum.”
The sister town of Normal, Illinois, also has committed to the same sort of donation.
Officials in the Bloomington-Normal area acknowledged they were slow to embrace Route 66 tourism. But once they did, they went whole-hog.
As I’ve noted, a number of towns on Route 66 not only are touting their Mother Road heritage, but actively competing against other towns for tourism dollars. The Route 66 Economic Impact Study released in 2012 — and its reported $127 million in annual spending along the road — proved to have a profound effect on municipal officials who read it. We’re seeing the results now in the Illinois towns of Bloomington, Pontiac and Atlanta.
(Image of the McLean County Museum of History at sunset by T Manning via Flickr)
Yeah, if only the City of Chicago finally got the message … Listen up, Rahmbo: there’s more tourism money to be had.
Springfield too!
Good to hear! Now, if only Normal hadn’t missed the opportunity to develop the original building of Steak ‘n’ Shake as a museum — with the assistance of corporate Steak ‘n’ Shake.
Hope it’s not too late for that, but…