By STEPHANIE A. JAMES
Staff Writer
Town officials have put a plan in place in hopes of hooking national retailers and other businesses that would generate jobs for the Appomattox area.
With the help of Region 2000, the town is seeking guidance on the best way to use to its advantage the area’s top tourism attractions -– Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and the Museum of the Confederacy.
Executive Director Bryan David of Region 2000 Partnership Economic Development Council outlined Monday suggestions to the Appomattox Town Council to make it happen as the town looks toward the future.
One of the suggestions involves the town soliciting the help of a consultant to assess the market potential for tourism-related businesses to include retail and lodging.
After a consensus from the town council to move forward, David is searching for a qualified national consultant to put together a proposal with a scope of work, timeline and how much they charge.
David estimated that a consultant would cost between $40,000 and $50,000.
The consultant will be tasked to collect information to find out whether Appomattox can support tourism-related retail and hospitality development using national industry standards and benchmarks.
David cautioned that might reveal that it is not a viable option.
“I think just from the name recognition you don’t have to explain much, and that gives you a certain advantage in this endeavor,” said David.
A second advantage, David cited, was Appomattox’s location and proximity to area colleges.
College towns usually generate tourism development, David explained.
David noted that the number of college students translate to parents visiting and possibly going to tourism destinations.
“I would say arguably that would get someone’s attention,” said David.
If the market is viable for such development, the information would be used to solicit from interested property owner’s potential commercial development sites.
Subsequently, developers and national retailers as well as hospitality businesses could be approached and provide a market assessment and potential development locations.
David also recommended that the town get the County’s Economic Development Director Jeff Taylor, Appomattox County Economic Development Authority and Beckie Nix of the Lynchburg Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau involved as primary stakeholders in the assessment.
The process will be divided into three tasks.
During the first two tasks, information will be collected on a variety of tourism destinations within 100 miles of Appomattox. The type of information collected will include destination type, yearly visitation, and the extent of overnight stays.
Also, retail development and hospitality businesses will be identified and analyzed that are located within the regional market including destination retailers that have a competitive impact on any potential tourism-related retail and hospitality development located in the town.
In addition, information will be collected from interested property owners that own site in the town that best suit tourism related retail and hospitality development.
In the third task, a report will be prepared providing the outcome of the first two tasks. The report will also feature proposed targeted development.
The idea enticed council members.
Council members Steve Conner and Claudia Puckette voiced their opinions on David’s recommendations.
“I think that he is the man to work with to get it done. So let’s roll on,” Conner said. “If we are going to get jobs, we need to try this.”
Puckette told David: “Your information has been most valuable,”
Councilwoman Mary Lou Spiggle expressed that the proposal could work.
“We are hopeful and excited to make it work,” said Spiggle.