Opening doors when bridge reopens

Clark County

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• Read an in-depth look at the finances of the local tourism bureau in the News and Tribune.

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February 16, 2012

Tourism bureau spending money to market Southern Indiana as Sherman Minton opening nears

By BRADEN LAMMERS Braden.Lammers@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Thu Feb 16, 2012, 01:53 AM EST

JEFFERSONVILLE — The Clark-Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau agreed to launch a marketing campaign with the hope that it will bring people back to Southern Indiana businesses once the Sherman Minton Bridge reopens.

At the tourism bureau’s Board of Managers meeting Wednesday, the board agreed to spend up to $10,000, on top of about $3,000 that has already been spent, to bring customers back to businesses that have been hurt by the closure of the Interstate 64 span.

The Sherman Minton Bridge, which connects New Albany to West Louisville, has been shut down since Sept. 9 when a critical crack was discovered in a support beam. An announcement earlier this week from the Indiana Department of Transportation said that repairs to the bridge are ahead of schedule and it could open a week before the March 1 deadline.

Patrick Gregory, general manager of the Sheraton Louisville Riverside in Jeffersonville, urged the board to act quickly, so once the bridge reopens businesses will be revitalized immediately.

“I just think right now is a real golden opportunity to try and make up some of what we’ve lost over the last six months, once it does reopen,” he said. “I think with the reopening of the bridge it would make sense to try and make an impact immediately, rather than let it trickle back over a long period of time.”

Part of the proposal Gregory requested would be to purchase drive-time radio ads, at a cost of about $10,000, to bring consumers back to the region. He said two private businesses have donated $2,000 for the campaign and a request will also go to the area’s legislative councils seeking $5,000 from each entity.

But some money has already been spent by the tourism bureau.

Executive Director Jim Keith said the bureau has spent $3,000 to date to launch a website, its design and to print related marketing posters. All of the marketing programs are designed to change the perception of people since the bridge closure has caused some areas to be cut off and others to experience extreme amounts of congestion.

While Gregory said the impact from the bridge closure has hit both sides of the Ohio River, Southern Indiana has felt the greater burden.

“It’s even been a bad perception to get people from Indiana to come closer to the [Hoosier side of the] river because it is so congested,” he said. “Drive-time [commuters] are the people that have the worst perception right now.”

He said since the Breeder’s Cup was held in Louisville in early-November, business at his hotel has been down 30 percent.

Board Member Mike Kampfhammer, owner of Buckhead and Rocky’s Sub Pub in Jeffersonville, agreed that the businesses along Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville have taken a similar hit.

“In my opinion, Jeffersonville, and this little pocket particularly, has been hurt more than probably the rest of Southern Indiana,” he said. “I don’t talk to anybody that’s not off 30 to 35 percent in the Jeffersonville area. That’s a big number.”

Keith agreed and said he believed the merchants in Jeffersonville may have seen the biggest drop in revenue.

“I think this area was hurt more so, than say, downtown New Albany,” he said. “New Albany benefited from those in the Knobs who ... would not go across the bridge because it’s a pretty good hassle.”

In addition to three to four weeks of radio ads, marketing posters and the website, Gregory said local merchants are all welcome to go to the website — openbridgesindiana.com — and post different offers to try to encourage people to come to the Indiana side of the river.

Kampfhammer made a motion for the board to pay up to $5,000, in addition to the $3,000 already spent, for the campaign. Board Member Bill Keeney said he was afraid to place a limit of $5,000 on the campaign and modified the motion for up to $10,000.

The board unanimously agreed to allow Keith to continue with discretionary spending on the campaign and to bring the expenditures back to the board next month for approval.

To coincide with the original bridge opening date, the start of the campaign is still slated for March 2 and is set to run for 30 days. The push may begin early if the bridge opens a week ahead of schedule.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

Bob Caesar, a member of the New Albany Bicentennial Commission, requested funding for a project associated with the upcoming New Albany Bicentennial. He said there are two major components to the celebration — one being a bicentennial park planned at Pearl and Spring streets, and the other a book of short stories and archival photos commemorating New Albany’s history.

Caesar was on-hand to request $36,000 for the publication of the book from the tourism bureau. He said the book, which is slated for a September release, will cost $144,000 to publish and there is already $104,000 in dedicated funding.

The initial printing will be 5,000 copies. It will be sold at the annual Harvest Homecoming Festival, with 200 special-edition copies that will be sold for $200. To have the books available, Caesar said the committee needs the money by August to make the last of its four payments for publishing the book. He added that proceeds from the sale of the book will be used to fund the events planned for the bicentennial.

The request was referred to the tourism bureau’s marketing committee and a recommendation will be brought back to the board at their next meeting.