The South Central Tennessee Tourism Association (SCTTA) came forward to the Moore County Metro Council with a proposals regarding Wiseman RV Park.
In its March meeting during its committee reports, Gerald Burnett went over the Budget Committee’s report where he stated that SCTTA’s Ryan French presented a proposal for the organization to take over administrative responsibilities for Wiseman RV Park.
“Right now, a RV can park there and it’s an honor system,” Burnett said. “What (SCTTA) is proposing is to set up a website, to try to administer some keys to be able to use the RV park and increase some security measures.”
According to the proposal from SCTTA, the organization proposed to maintain its camping fee of $40 at the park as is, but to allocate at least $10 from each fee to go towards marketing and further development of the park.
“We believe that while this approach may initially reduce the net income from the $40 fee for the Metro, it will ultimately result in a significant increase in rentals, thereby generating higher annual revenue for the Metro,” the proposal reads. “Moreover, the SCTTA commits to providing Metro Lynchburg-Moore County with an annual report detailing the utilization of the $10 per night fee for marketing efforts and improvements to the park, ensuring transparency and accountability in how these funds are leveraged to enhance the park’s appeal and functionality.”
Other aspects presented by SCTTA in the proposal include: booking and assisting guests with their stay; special rates for construction or approved lodging and guests; 27/7 online rental program on ExperienceTN.com, WhiskeyTrailhead.com and a newly designed website specifically for park rental; operations taking place of the TN Whiskey Trailhead and Welcome Center in Lynchburg; providing trained staff to assist in the process; improved signage and literature for the park; signage encouraging guests to sign up for Metro Emergency Alerts, as well as at check-in at the Trailhead and Welcome Center; and a local welcoming kit to each renter with a map of Lynchburg, and other recommendations for “things to do” during their stay.
Burnett told the council the Budget Committee approved the proposal, and welcomed French to the podium to address the council and answer questions. French told the councilmembers that the $10 fee would to a separate account that the council will be able to see, and it will go to mainly marketing and maintenance when needed.
Councilmember Robert Bracewell asked French if he had any data that shows that SCTTA would see a 25% increase in guests using the park. French said he wouldn’t be able to provide data that the council wouldn’t see as antidotal, noting than there’s no publicity for the park.
“The only rentals you were getting were word of mouth,” French said. “You may see some consistencies within that but as far as what is the transient traffic here is, it’s a one visit per five years or so.”
French said he thought that nobody knows about Wiseman RV Park it would be easy to get to the 25% mark. He added that they did conduct a survey at the Welcome Center asking if guests new there was a RV park, provided they didn’t ask if the guests had a RV.
Bracewell then asked if there was a timeframe where both SCTTA and the Metro Council would revisit the agreement and see how everything is working, given the frontend work SCTTA will be doing. French said right now SCTTA will be reinvesting and utilizing grants instead of revenues. The grants will be used for basics like signage and locks. French added that SCTTA see the park as an opportunity for improvement, and referred to SCTTA writing and administrating the grant from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for the Moorehead Pavilion, which was matched by Jack Daniel’s Distillery.
“We’re trying to be minimally, invasive as far as financial,” French said. “We’re trying to provide a service and I think an opportunity is there.”
Bracewell said French’s proposal sounded reasonable, but without data they wouldn’t know if it was working out. French said SCTTA could poll people who have rented if they knew about the park.
With no further discussion, the motion to approve the proposal as presented was approved unanimously.
