Sweetwater Events Complex Offers Tips for Attending National High School Finals Rodeo, July 15-21
Sweetwater Events Complex Offers Tips for Attending National High School Finals Rodeo, July 15-21
-‘World’s largest rodeo’ showcases 1,500 high school competitors-
Rock Springs, Wyo. – The Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyo., will host the 64th Annual National High School Finals Rodeo July 15-21. The event is dubbed the ‘world’s largest rodeo’ and features the most talented cowboys and cowgirls from all over the world who compete for national titles, prizes and their share of thousands of dollars in college scholarships.
With so many competitors, the event promises to be action-packed. Here, Sweetwater Events Complex offers eight tips for making the most of the rodeo experience.
- Plan ahead. Buy tickets early, and book a room or campsite as soon as possible. There are many lodging options – visit the Sweetwater Events Complex lodging page for more information. Tickets are available online and start at $8 for adults and $5 for children.
- Take care of yourself. Rock Springs is located at about 6,300 feet above sea level, and the air is dry. Drink plenty of water and apply sunscreen early and often. A wide-brimmed hat will also provide additional protection.
- Wear comfortable shoes. Sweetwater Events Complex boasts 80,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 42,000-plus square foot agricultural complex, and parking for 1,000 vehicles. That’s a lot of ground to cover!
- Take it all in. Rodeo events take place simultaneously in three different competition arenas, and the shooting sports competition takes place at a fourth venue. Two of the arenas are visible from the should this be one word?. Arrive early to get the best seat, and buy a program so you can plan to see each event.
- Cheer for everyone. Even if they fall off their horse, don’t earn a time or knock over a barrel, show the participants some appreciation. Nothing is worse than getting to this national stage but coming up short, says Dalton Richards the 2010 All-Around Cowboy. “These kids are giving it their all, so cheer them on!”
- Be prepared for non-stop action. The National High School Finals Rodeo is the largest rodeo in the world with 13 performances over seven days. There are 1,500 cowboys and cowgirls competing from all over the U.S., Canada and Australia.
- Expect to be impressed. Most of the participants have been rodeoing their entire life, so the competition is fierce. As James Higginbotham, executive director of the National High School Rodeo Association puts it, “Most of these kids could compete at any level. They are just too young!”
- Visit the NHSFR tradeshow. There is simply something for everyone at the tradeshow, which features nearly 300 vendors and concessions. Don’t miss your chance to take a little bit of the rodeo home.
For a tentative schedule of events for the rodeo visit http://www.sweetwaterevents.com/Upload/File/2012NHSFR%20ScheduleTentative.pdf.
About Sweetwater Events Complex
The Sweetwater Events Complex boasts a 20,000 square foot exhibition building, a 42,480 square foot agricultural complex and parking for more than 1,000 vehicles. Located just five miles from downtown Rock Springs, Wyo., Sweetwater Events Complex hosts Wyoming’s Big Show; horse events and rodeos; moto-cross, BMX and stock car racing; demolition derby; concerts and more.
About National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA)
The National High School Rodeo Association, Inc. (NHSRA) is headquartered in Denver, Colo. One of the largest youth organizations in the nation, the NHSRA has an annual membership of around 13,000 students grades 6-12 from 41 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia. The teams, on average, consist of the top four in each event. Students qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) at their respective state and provincial finals. Many of the NHSFR qualifiers compete in more than one event. The National High School Rodeo Association is governed by National Directors (one representative from each state/provincial association). These volunteer board members are dedicated to the success of the NHSRA and the youth of North America. This group also plans the National High School Finals Rodeo each year.
Contacts:
Chad M. Banks, Sweetwater County Events Complex
307-352-6789 ext 213 | 307-872-6348 ext 213 | [email protected]
May 11, 2012 Category: Industry, Visitor Tags:Sweetwater Events Complex Selected to Host National High School Finals Rodeo for Next Four Years
Sweetwater Events Complex Selected to Host National High School Finals Rodeo for Next Four Years
-‘World’s Largest Rodeo’ expected to draw more than 1,500 competitors each year,
$9 million annual economic impact expected-
Rock Springs, Wyo. – The Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyo., today announced that it has been selected by the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) to host the National High School Finals Rodeo through the 2015 season. The 64th Annual National High School Finals Rodeo, the first hosted by the Sweetwater Events Complex, takes place July 15-21, 2012.
The 10-day event, dubbed the ‘World’s Largest Rodeo,’ features more than 1,500 cowboys and cowgirls from 43 states and three countries – the U.S., Canada and Australia. Competitors vie for national titles, prizes and their share of thousands of dollars in college scholarships. In addition to the cowboys and cowgirls, the Sweetwater Events Complex will also host 1,800 performance horses, 130 bulls, 260 rough-stock horses, 140 goats, 500 cutting cattle, 120 steer wrestling cattle, 120 team-roping cattle, 120 breakaway roping calves, and 120 tie-down calves.
Larry Lloyd, executive director of the Sweetwater Events Complex, says the National High School Finals Rodeo will have a tremendous economic impact on Rock Springs and the other communities throughout Sweetwater County. “A study on the 2011 rodeo showed that more than 12,000 visitors spent more than $9 million over the course of the event in a single year. That translates to nearly $40 million over four years,” says Lloyd. “That’s good news for our local businesses, campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, retail shops and banks.” He adds, “We are excited to roll out our western welcome mat for this one-of-a-kind event!”
Lloyd says about $4 million in improvements have been made at the events complex to accommodate the rodeo, including the addition of one thousand campsites; power, water and sewer upgrades; and new arenas and holding facilities. NHSRA executive director James Higginbotham says the improvements played a part in Sweetwater Events Complex being selected.
“The shooting facilities in Green River and Rock Springs have been upgraded for our event, as the shooting program has become an important event for our members,” says Higginbotham. “The people of Sweetwater County and the towns of Rock Springs and Green River have made us feel very welcome. We appreciate very much the support shown by Governor Mead, county and city officials, Larry Lloyd and his staff, and the entire community.”
In addition to the NRA-sponsored shooting sports program, the National High School Finals Rodeo includes traditional rodeo performances, talent shows, a queen contest, volleyball tournaments, and more. For a tentative schedule of events visit http://www.sweetwaterevents.com/Upload/File/2012NHSFR%20ScheduleTentative.pdf.
About Sweetwater Events Complex
The Sweetwater Events Complex boasts a 20,000 square foot exhibition building, a 42,480 square foot agricultural complex and parking for more than 1,000 vehicles. Located just five miles from downtown Rock Springs, Wyo., Sweetwater Events Complex hosts Wyoming’s Big Show; horse events and rodeos; moto-cross, BMX and stock car racing; demolition derby; concerts and more.
About National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA)
The National High School Rodeo Association, Inc. (NHSRA) is headquartered in Denver, Colo. One of the largest youth organizations in the nation, the NHSRA has an annual membership of around 13,000 students grades 6-12 from 41 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia. The teams, on average, consist of the top four in each event. Students qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) at their respective state and provincial finals. Many of the NHSFR qualifiers compete in more than one event. The National High School Rodeo Association is governed by National Directors (one representative from each state/provincial association). These volunteer board members are dedicated to the success of the NHSRA and the youth of North America. This group also plans the National High School Finals Rodeo each year.
Contacts:
Chad M. Banks, Sweetwater County Events Complex
307-352-6789 ext 213 | 307-872-6348 ext 213 | [email protected]
May 11, 2012 Category: Industry, Visitor Tags:National High School Finals Rodeo, July 15-21 in Rock Springs, Wyo., to Showcase Rodeo’s Elite
National High School Finals Rodeo, July 15-21 in Rock Springs, Wyo., to Showcase Rodeo’s Elite
-Past competitors dish on ‘world’s largest rodeo’, offer tips for spectators-
Rock Springs, Wyo. – The Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyo., will host the 64th Annual National High School Finals Rodeo July 15-21. The event is dubbed the ‘world’s largest rodeo’ and features 1,500 of the most talented cowboys and cowgirls from across the globe. In addition to bragging rights, these competitors vie for national titles, prizes and their share of thousands of dollars in college scholarships.
Of the 15,000 National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) members, only 10 percent qualify to compete at the national rodeo. According to NHSRA executive director James Higginbotham, this sets the stage for a competition that is fierce and fun to watch. “The National High School Finals Rodeo showcases talent that is simply unmatched at any other rodeo,” says Higginbotham. “These kids could rodeo anywhere, they’re just too young.”
So what is it like for these young athletes to compete on a national stage? Here, a few competitors talk about their experiences at the National High School Finals Rodeo and offer a few insider tips for spectators.
McKenna Wagner is from Broken Arrow, Okla., and competed in the 2010 and 2011 National High School Finals Rodeos. She won the All-Around Cowgirl title in 2011. She says the rodeo can be described in one word, “thrilling!” Wagner, who hopes to place in Oklahoma’s top four to qualify for this year’s national competition, says spectators can maximize their rodeo experience by taking it all in. “Be sure to watch the whole rodeo and not miss any of the events,” says Wagner. “Also, don’t miss the trade show because there is always something for everyone there!”
The rodeo is serious business for the contestants, many of whom catch the eye of college recruiters at the event. Dalton Richards, the 2010 All-Around Cowboy, is one such competitor. He took part in the 2010 and 2011 rodeos and was recruited by Western Oklahoma State University where he earned a rodeo scholarship for calf and team roping. Richards, who is studying agriculture business, says he has professional rodeo aspirations and that the High School Finals was a good stepping stone for the next level. “There are not a lot of other big rodeos out there for high schoolers,” explains Richards. “This rodeo really helps prepare you for college and professional rodeos. You learn how to handle the pressure of the big crowd and the competition.”
For a tentative schedule of events for the rodeo visit http://www.sweetwaterevents.com/Upload/File/2012NHSFR%20ScheduleTentative.pdf.
About Sweetwater Events Complex
The Sweetwater Events Complex boasts a 20,000 square foot exhibition building, a 42,480 square foot agricultural complex and parking for more than 1,000 vehicles. Located just five miles from downtown Rock Springs, Wyo., Sweetwater Events Complex hosts Wyoming’s Big Show; horse events and rodeos; moto-cross, BMX and stock car racing; demolition derby; concerts and more.
About National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA)
The National High School Rodeo Association, Inc. (NHSRA) is headquartered in Denver, Colo. One of the largest youth organizations in the nation, the NHSRA has an annual membership of around 13,000 students grades 6-12 from 41 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia. The teams, on average, consist of the top four in each event. Students qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) at their respective state and provincial finals. Many of the NHSFR qualifiers compete in more than one event. The National High School Rodeo Association is governed by National Directors (one representative from each state/provincial association). These volunteer board members are dedicated to the success of the NHSRA and the youth of North America. This group also plans the National High School Finals Rodeo each year.
Contacts:
Chad M. Banks, Sweetwater County Events Complex
307-352-6789 ext 213 | 307-872-6348 ext 213 | [email protected]
April 27, 2012 Category: Uncategorized Tags:NATIONAL TRAPPERS ASSOCIATION 11th ANNUAL WESTERN TRAPPING AND OUTDOOR EXPO IN ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING, ON JUNE 1-3, 2012
The National Trapper’s Association (NTA) will be sponsoring the 2012 Western Regional Trapping and Outdoor Expo in Rock Springs, Wyoming, June 1-3. This recreational experience will be put on in conjunction with the Wyoming Trappers Association and the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board. The event will be held at the Sweetwater Events Complex located at 3320 Yellowstone Road.
The Western Regional National Trappers Association Trapping and Outdoor Expo is the largest gathering of trappers in the West. Over the duration of the 2 ½ day event, an estimated 700 outdoor enthusiast from all over the Western United States and Canada will gather in Rock Springs. We expect attendees from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington. There will also be NTA personal from around the country. Two to three regional conventions are held annually throughout different regions of the country at various times of the year. In addition to the regional conventions there is a National convention every year. This year the National Convention will be in Owatonna, Minnesota, August 2-5.
A number of speakers who are experienced trappers have agreed to provide demonstrations for the 2012 Western Regional Trapping and Outdoor Expo on a variety of trapping topics. These topics include: beavers, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, fur preparation, martin, mink, muskrats, otters, predator calling, raccoons, and wolves. This is an excellent opportunity to come out and watch the pros! In addition to being an excellent chance to learn tips from the pros, it will also be a good chance to pick up those items you are going to need this summer for trap preparation and a chance to pick up supplies that will enable you to increase your trapping inventory. There will be an ample amount of lures, baits, and supplies available from vendors attending the event. A full list of vendors is posted on the www.nationaltrappers.com website.
In addition to trapping supplies, the vendors will also be selling everything from sporting goods, artwork, and home décor items.
A live auction will take place at 7:30 Friday evening featuring well know auctioneer Kevin Whitworth of Missouri. Kevin’s style of auctioneering is very entertaining and will give all who are there a good time. The auction is open to everyone and will include many donated items.
Family activities will be featured throughout the event. These will include trap setting contests, kids hay scrambles, scavenger hunts, and a frying pan toss contest. There also will be a predator calling contest for various age groups. There will be a dance with a DJ on Saturday evening.
The vendor building will be open 8AM to 6PM on Friday and Saturday. A very limited number of vendors will be available from 8AM to Noon on Sunday. Tailgate/flea market vendors will also be featured in the outdoor areas of the fairgrounds throughout the event.
The cost for the event is $10 for the entire event. Children under 12 are free. This is a family event. We strongly encourage young people to come out and learn about the heritage of trapping and the promotion of responsible trapping.
The anticipated impact for the Sweetwater County area is an estimated $240,000. This is based on the estimate that each member attending the convention will spend approximately $100 per day for the 3 days at area hotels, shops, restaurants, attractions, etc. In addition, there will be many people from Western United States attending the event.
The National Trappers Association, Inc. is an organization of dedicated individuals who have joined together to promote and protect the appropriate conservative use of many of the furbearing species. The NTA was established for North America’s more than one half million trappers. The purpose of trapping varies—from assisting wildlife biologist in furbearer studies, to population and disease control, protection against soil erosion, for food, clothing and income. Thanks to good management practices, furbearers are more numerous in North America today than 100 years ago. There is no trapping of endangered species and the NTA continues to research and encourage the use of the most effective and humane trapping techniques. Trapping has been an integral part of the American Heritage and NTA members want to ensure that this continues to contribute to abundant and sound management programs.
For membership information and additional information regarding this event, visit the National Trapper’s Association website at www.nationaltrappers.com
April 4, 2012 Category: Industry Tags:T&T Board recognizes Cook
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ROCK SPRINGS — The Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board recognized Rock Springs representative Terri Cook for five years of service.
She was honored during the group’s monthly board meeting on March 12 on the Green River campus of Western Wyoming Community College.
T&T Board chairman Pat Robbins presented Cook with a crystal bowl and certificate of appreciation.
“Terri will be missed for her tremendous enthusiasm and genuine care for tourism,” Robbins said. “She is a true champion for the tourism industry in Sweetwater County and will certainly be missed.”
During her five years of service, Cook served on multiple committees, including the Tourism Month Committee, the Grant Committee, the Employee/Grievance Committee, and the Board Retreat Oversight Committee.
Greg Bailey will replace Cook as a Rock Springs appointment on the board.
For additional information about the board, call or visit www.tourwyoming.com.
Pat Robbins, left, chairman of the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism board, honors Terri Cook, the Rock Springs representative to the board, for her five years of service. She will be replaced by Greg Bailey.
Tourist visits to county rose in 2011
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ROCK SPRINGS — The hotel and motel occupancy rate in Sweetwater County in 2011 rose by 7 percent compared to 2010, statistics show.
Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism Board Executive Director Jenissa Bartlett said that in August 2011, the occupancy rate reached 90.4 percent.
“I went kind of through the roof on that one,” she said.
That figure was well above the August 2010 rate of 70.7 percent and the August 2009 rate of 66.4 percent, but it was virtually tied with August 2008′s rate of 90.5 percent and August 2007′s rate of 90.8 percent.
The July occupancy rate, which was 78.5 percent, was better than the same periods in 2010 and 2009, which were 70.7 percent and 67.6 percent, respectively. However, the July figures were at 83.8 percent in 2008 and 87.7 percent in 2007.
June’s occupancy rates reflected a similar picture. The 2011 rate of 83.5 percent was ahead of 74 percent in 2010 and 62.9 percent in 2009, but behind 83.8 percent from 2008 and 86.9 percent from 2007.
Bartlett said she was pleased with the rise in the occupancy numbers, but the average nightly room rate has not yet rebounded to previous rates.
For each of the three summer months of June, July and August, the average rate charged for a room was below the average rate for each of those months in each of the four preceding years.
In 2011, the average room rate reached a low for the last five years. Room averages were $85 in June, $85 in July and $82 in August.
“We are still waiting for the average room rate to go up,” she said.
MARKETING THE COUNTY
Bartlett said the travel and tourism board’s 2011 media campaign worked to promote Sweetwater County in Salt Lake City and Denver.
“We market Sweetwater County as a stop along the way to the national parks,” she said.
The board puts out a number of publications, including a visitor guide and a new Flaming Gorge adventure guide.
“We partnered with Utah to do this publication, and when I worked at the trade show in Denver, it flew off the table first,” she said.
Bartlett said the board printed 46,000 copies of the visitor guide in 2011.
The past year it also created a convention and sporting event recruitment committee to help draw visitors to the area. She said it produced a groups and meetings handbook that discusses local amenities and attractions. She said committee members include representatives from the two Sweetwater County school districts, Rock Springs and Green River chambers of commerce and the two cities’ parks and recreation departments.
Bartlett said the board also brings travel writers to the area to go on tours and write about Sweetwater County.
“This year we did not have to solicit any writers, she said.
She said they placed advertising in the Wyoming Visitor’s Guide, AAA Home & Away Magazine and elsewhere. People can also find information about Sweetwater County is also through yellowstonepark.com.
“Every year we place our advertisements in the spring, and we get requests for the visitor guides, this year over 9,000 leads. And that drives traffic to our Web site,” Bartlett said.
The travel and tourism Web site received approximately 4,300 clicks in both April and May 2011 and 5,673 clicks in June.
Bartlett said the board hired a company to talk with 305 people who requested travel guides to see if they visited and found 22 percent traveled to Sweetwater County.
Based on that sample, she said they extrapolate the advertising generated more than 2,000 trips. She said the average party was two persons, and they stayed an average of 2.7 nights, so that means an investment return of $11 for every dollar spent on the campaign.
“We also promote Sweetwater County at the International Sportsmen Expo,” she said. “I will be there next week, working that show, promoting Sweetwater County and everything it has to offer to an outdoorsman, or woman.”
Bartlett the Wyoming Office of Tourism reported that direct spending by tourists in Sweetwater County totaled $145 million in 2010.
“That amounts to $387,260 for each day,” she said.
Want more rodeo?
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ROCK SPRINGS — In addition to hosting the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2012 and 2013, officials announced Friday the event would remain at the Sweetwater County Events Complex through 2015.
The announcement included Events Complex Executive Director Larry Lloyd, Governor Matt Mead and first lady Carol Mead.
The governor said Wyoming could even host the national event through 2017 if the finals return to Gillette, which hosted the event in 2010 and 2011.
“This is another example of Wyoming people stepping up,” Mead said, “Congratulations to this community. Lots of people are going to be seeing this part of Wyoming.”
The governor said he spoke as a former team roping rodeo competitor.
“The bad news is, I was horrible at it,” Mead said.
He said hosting the national finals represented the independent spirit of the people of Wyoming and he hoped individuals who do not normally follow rodeo would become involved. He expressed appreciation that the Events Complex landed the finals during his time as governor.
“I hope I get an invitation to attend,” Mead said.
HIGH SCHOOL RODEO CEO
Other dignitaries at the news conference including National High School Rodeo Association CEO James Higginbotham. He said the main reason to extend the final’s tenure in Sweetwater County, beside economics, was the people. He said people like Lloyd worked with them during the 2012 preparations.
“When you already have everything you want, why go anyplace else?” Higginbotham asked. “People make the difference.”
The Events Complex fended off competition from locations in Texas and New Mexico to continue conducting the rodeo through 2015.
Higginbotham said he was originally concerned tnat not all of the venues would be ready by July. However, he said the Events Complex has surprised him as it geared up after being rewarded the hosting duties.
“Any doubts I had were unfounded,” he said.
Wyoming is the only state to have three different NHSFR host cities — Douglas, Gillette and Rock Springs.
LOCAL COMMENTS
Rock Springs Mayor Carl Demshar said the high school finals rodeo represented an opportunity to put the community, county and state on the national map. Demshar said he was asking city councilmen to volunteer to help the rodeo and he challenged other local government entities to step up and do the same.
Green River City Councilman Tom McCullough said, “We’re going to support this as much as we can. … I think people are going to see a different side of Wyoming.”
Lloyd said Green River will be hosting the long rifle competition at the event.
Sweetwater County Commissioner John Kolb thanked the governor for his support of Sweetwater County and the national finals.
Fair Board member Paul Zancanella said, “What we’re building here is a lasting legacy for Sweetwater County.”
Following the news conference, Lloyd led a tour of the grounds to point out the construction work being done to prepare for the event. He said all of the construction work will be completed by July 9, when rodeo participants begin to arrive.
“Failure is not an option,” he said.
FRONTIER DAYS COMPETITION?
Following the tour of the grounds, Mead said, “I was just telling my wife that the folks at the Cheyenne Frontier Days had better watch out.”
Cheyenne Frontier Days 2012 will run from July 20-29, 2012. Competition at the national finals is scheduled to wrap up on Saturday, July 21.
Mead paid tribute to Lloyd and his persistence in keeping the preparations on track.
“You’ve got a good guy at the helm,” Mead said.
The governor said the many changes which the Events Complex is seeing will have a positive impact well beyond the rodeo.
“I think it’s going to lead to a lot of other great things,” Mead said. “I’m sure it will lead to a lot of other great things.”
Sweetwater Tourism did well in 2011
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ROCK SPRINGS — Despite high gas prices and a weak economy. Sweetwater County tourism had a respectable year.
Jenissa Bartlett, executive director of the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board, reported that as of Dec. 14, 2,088 visitor trips to Sweetwater County had been taken as a result of the 10,000 travel guides that were distributed.
Similarly, the number of visits to the Green River Visitor Center grew substantially since the previous year, according to Green River Chamber of Commerce Director Janet Hartford. Walk-in visits, she said, tripled compared to 2010 year-to-date.
Travel and Tourism
Bartlett said in a recent interview that the figure of 2,088 trips is misleading because each trip involved 2.8-3 people who spent an average of three nights in Sweetwater County. Each trip produced an average of $966 in spending on food, lodging, gas and souvenirs.
“Eleven dollars was produced for the local economy from every dollar spent on advertising,” Bartlett said. The Travel and Tourism Board spent approximately $75,000 on advertising, which produced $806,495 in revenue for the county based on visitor expenditures.
The figures were produced from 305 visitor surveys that the Travel and Tourism Board conducted.
“Eighty-nine percent of the visitors to Sweetwater County arrived by auto travel, as might be expected,” Bartlett added. “They were mostly empty-nesters, who tended to be more highly-educated and who had money to spend.”
Just about all of the visitors surveyed, 93 percent, were here on leisure trips rather than business. Two-thirds, 66 percent, were motivated by Yellowstone National Park; and 53 percent were motivated by Grand Teton National Park.
“We know we’re a stop along the way,” Bartlett said. “It’s a huge benefit that we’re located at the intersection of Highway 191 and Interstate 80.”
In addition to conveying visitors to the Yellowstone-Grand Teton area, Highway 191, south of Rock Springs to the Utah border, is designated a state scenic byway.
“We know we’re a stopping point,” Bartlett said, “but we have a lot of amenities that visitors are interested in.”
GREEN RIVER VISITOR CENTER
Hartford said that through November, the Visitor Center at the western end of Green River saw 12,499 people walk in to request information, directions or suggested destinations. That compared to 4,478 during the previous year’s same 11-month period.
The Green River Chamber of Commerce moved into the Visitor Center on Feb. 24.
Similarly, in the 11 months up to and including this November, the Visitor Center gave out 24,068 brochures from its rack, well above the previous year’s period figure of 15,763.
The chamber also mailed out 3,160 brochures, compared to the previous year’s 200. The Visitor Center also sold 9,203 gift certificates, well more than the 6,685 in the prior period.
“It’s been a very busy year,” Hartford said.
During the winter, she added, traffic at the Visitor Center inevitably “slowed a bit, but we still have the occasional traveler through the office, especially when the roads and weather turn bad. We are averaging more than 60 people a day, still very good numbers.”
Hartford attributed a good part of the increase to the attractiveness of the new Visitor Center.
“All of the growth in the numbers is attributable to the new Visitor Center,” she said. “This summer we had 100 people a day coming in there. They were brand-new tourists, new to our area. Everybody who comes into the new Visitor Center says it’s the nicest visitor facility they have been in — and these are people traveling around the United States. We give them a taste of the area and encourage them to go out and explore what we have.”
The Visitor Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, but not on weekends, due to a shortage of volunteers.
However, it has a 24-hour vestibule at the front, before entering the building proper. There is a kiosk there that provides a large number of leaflets and pamphlets to people who come by when the center is closed.
The increased use of the brochure rack, Hartford said, translates to a lot more people getting to see the things that are going on in this county, “and an increased likelihood they will stay a while,” she said.
“We get people going to or from Yellowstone, and down to Canyonlands and other national parks in Utah. And they heard of Flaming Gorge, or they hear about the wild horses; we have a good mix of things to offer them. We see more people who know about our attractions. We had a lot this summer who came in because they read about us in the article in Mountain Flyer magazine, or on some blog, or on a video on YouTube. Our mountain bike club members have done videos.”
The one downside in the numbers is the dollar amounts of tourist-related business in Green River attributable to the Visitor Center’s activities. The previous year’s period had been at $274,932, while this current 11-month period saw $232,210 attributable to Visitor Center activities. “We were $5,000 ahead in October,” she added.
“We have had an increase in gift cards,” Hartford said, “but the dollar amount for them has declined from $30 to $20. We sold more gift certificates, but the total amount declined,” she said.
“We ask folks, when you go to different retailers, or go to Hampton Inn, to say that we mentioned them. But it’s hard to back those numbers out and get a dollar figure. But we do know people with contacts with us are 60 percent more likely to stay another day and/or come back the next year. But the numbers are not hard and fast. They are the least easy to identify. Retailers did pretty well in the holiday shopping. We will see what happens with December, after the month’s numbers are in,” she said.
2010 tourism brings $145 million to county, study says
ROCK SPRINGS — Tourism contributed $145 million to the Sweetwater County economy in fiscal year 2010, according to a Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism report using the most recent figures available.
Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism Board Executive Director Jenissa Bartlett presented the figures at the Rock Springs City Council on Tuesday. The amount translates into approximately $397,260 per day entering the county as a result of travel and tourism, creating over 1,500 jobs in the county.
Hotel room occupancy in the county rose seven percent in 2011, compared with 2010.
“It looks like things are on the upswing,” Rock Springs Mayor Carl Demshar said.
“Oh, they are,” Bartlett said.
The 2 percent lodging tax brought in $520,586.05 in fiscal year 2011, a marginal increase of nine-thousandths of a percent versus fiscal year 2010, according to the board’s 2011 report. Although the increase was slight, it compared favorably with a 26.7 percent drop in lodging tax revenue in fiscal year 2010 when compared with fiscal year 2009. The report said $516,051.08 in lodging tax revenue was collected in fiscal year 2010, dropping from $704,232.28 in fiscal year 2009 and $742,202.80 in fiscal year 2008.
Of visitors surveyed, 84 percent said they came to Sweetwater County on business and 16 percent had come for leisure travel. Of the prospective visitors requesting travel brochures for Sweetwater County, 22 percent actually came. The tourism board also engaged in public relations during 2011, including providing an article for American Cowboy magazine’s February 2011 issue regarding five hideaway locations in the county.
Bartlett estimated that for every $1 spent on tourism advertising in 2011, $11 was returned to the county.
VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE UNDER REVIEW
A proposed vacant building ordinance remains a work in progress and has not been introduced for City Council consideration. In a recent interview, Demshar said City Attorney Vince Crow is still working on the language.
Demshar said they intend to look at commercial properties, not residential.
“Cheyenne tried to do that and they had to back off,” Demshar said regarding efforts to create fees for vacant residences. “I want to focus on commercial properties.”
2012 Crystal Classic Press Release
Sweetwater County, Wyo., Hosts Crystal Classic Winter Festival Feb.17-18
–Family-friendly event includes world-class ice carving competition, human sled-dog race, 5K run/walk–
Sweetwater County, Wyo. (January 3, 2012) – Sweetwater County Travel & Tourism today announced the dates for its Crystal Classic Winter Carnival. The carnival, hosted by the Green River Parks and Recreation Department, will be held Feb. 17-18 at and around Expedition Island in Green River.
The festival features an ice carving contest that is sanctioned by the National Ice Carving Association (NICA) and boasts a prize purse totaling $11,000 for professional and amateur divisions. The contest draws contestants from all over the U.S and Canada and will be held on Green River’s Expedition Island. The people’s choice ice sculpting contest will be held Friday evening and the individual competition will take place on Saturday afternoon.
There are a number of family-friendly activities associated with the event in addition to ice sculpting contests. The Frostbite/Crystal Classic 5K Run/Walk takes place at 10 a.m. on Saturday and is open to participants of all ages. The course will wind around the ice sculpting exhibits and along the Greenbelt Pathway, providing a bird’s eye view of the contestants’ work. Participants will receive a stocking cap, as well as the chance to win gift certificates from the chamber of commerce.
Also on tap – a soup cook-off, the human dog sled competition, a pancake breakfast, s’mores stations, kids’ games, an ice cube hunt, an ice bar, musical entertainment and food. The Crystal Classic Winter Banquet, which is open to the public, will be held on Feb. 18 to celebrate the competitors and present awards.
For more information on the event call 307-382-2538 or visit the Sweetwater County website.
About Sweetwater County (www.tourwyoming.com)
Sweetwater County, located halfway between Yellowstone and Canyonlands National Parks in southwest Wyoming, is home to 10,500 square miles of pure, high desert adventure. Known as ‘Flaming Gorge Country” the area is characterized by the 91-square-mile Flaming Gorge Lake, the famed Green River, expansive deserts and rugged mountains. Activities include camping, hiking, biking, fishing, golfing, sightseeing, wildlife viewing, hunting dinosaurs, shopping, and just plain getting away from it all. A perfect place to explore American history, Sweetwater County is also home to petroglyphs, pioneer trails and historical museums.
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Contacts:
Gaylene Ore, Ore Communications, 970.812.8733, [email protected]
Jenissa Bartlett, Sweetwater Travel & Tourism, 307.382.2538, [email protected]
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