Tallahassee Tea Party

LeonCounty

“Let’s build on our history.”

Strategic Tourism Plan

A plan for increasing tourism to Tallahassee and Florida by Pace Allen

Attorney, CPA, Former Chairman, Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

  “Just say that it’s my Welcome Station. Everybody is welcome.” So said my grandfather, W.A. Peavy.  He farmed, delivered papers for the Tallahassee Democrat and was a lifelong resident of Concord, Florida. The 1960 Tallahassee Democrat photo below shows my Grandpa Peavy on the porch of the small log cabin he built across from his home, two miles south of the Florida-Georgia line.  Concord is now best known as the location of the Coonbottom Pilau, http://taxteaparty.com/coonbottom_pilau. Raccoons and other critters crossed the low part of the road just south of the cabin.  Thus, Concord, Florida became known as Coonbottom.  Grandpa invited all to “keep dropping by and see what’s new.”  http://taxteaparty.com/florida_welcome_station

W.A. Peavy, at age 76, at his Florida “Welcome Station” The cabin was a replica of many pioneer farm homes Peavy remembered from his early childhood.  Peavy invited all to “keep dropping by to see what’s new.” - Tallahassee Democrat Photo 1960

http://taxteaparty.com/strategicplan    http://taxteaparty.com/home

“The traveler sees; the tourist sees, listens, smells, tastes, touches, learns and hopefully returns. Everybody will be welcome at our new Welcome Station; keep dropping by to see what’s new.”        

                                                                                      - Pace Allen

Our existing Welcome Center is located downtown. It offers only two parking spaces.  The Center is not convenient to travelers, tourists or our own citizens. We should have a Welcome Station at East or West 90 and I-10 for visitors and citizens alike. Our most effective sales force can be our own citizens when they are informed about the sights, sounds, tastes and history that the Tallahassee area has to offer. http://taxteaparty.com/florida_welcome_station

It is our own citizens that best sell our community.  Our citizens create the Tallahassee area brand image. Creating a brand image on paper, on the internet or in a newspaper can bring a few travelers.  But, only genuine excitement about our community and what it has to offer will be seen and infect the traveler.  The infected traveler will return as a tourist with those he infects, time after time to see, hear and taste what’s new.

I suggest building a Pioneer Cabin Welcome Station to scale ten times larger than my grandfather’s that is clearly visible from I-10.  Provide clean restrooms, unique food, music, traditions and information about our attractions and history.

The great wonders of nature are truly the wonders of sight, sound, taste, smell and touch. The sounds of Stephen Foster’s, song, Old Folks at Home started a major tourist movement to Florida .  Visitors still come to Florida to satisfy their senses.  Listen to Ray Charles’ Swanee River Rock    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1tdwjzRPEE and taste the history, food and music at our new Welcome Station. 

Suggestions

Sight & Sound: (1) Highly visible Pioneer Welcome Station with welcoming surrounding porch with rocking chairs (2) Billboards and advertising featuring the Welcome Station porch and rocking chairs (3) Video media centers within the Station promoting Tallahassee Area attractions and Florida attractions. (4) Free web access for travelers (5) various versions of our state song being played within the Station (over 50 versions of Swanee River have been viewed on YouTube over one million times). (6) A porch will surround the Welcome Station.  It will be a venue for performing artists to entertain guests.

Taste, smell, & touch, offer samples of uniquely Florida / Tallahassee food: (1) orange juice (2) Coonbottom Pilau (see, http://taxteaparty.com/coonbottom_pilau), Tallahassee Hushpuppies (http://taxteaparty.com/book_reviews), sweet iced tea (my favorite), key lime pie, Provide clean restrooms. Provide plenty of parking. Background music: Ray Charles’ Swanee River Rock.  Build on our history. http://taxteaparty.com/home

Funding Summary

Sell the downtown Welcome Center.  Give that money back to taxpayers.  Stop spending tax dollars for bailouts, such as the $300,000 Goodwood Bailout. http://taxteaparty.com/goodwood Stop using tax dollars to compete against private property owners.  Transition from tax funding to private funding using charges for information placement fees at the Welcome Station. This Welcome Center funding method is now used at the airport and at the Capitol.

Other Notes & Info :

Fellow Members, Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau:

Re: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting, Goodwood Museum

Thank those of you who again nominated me for the “Thomas A. Waits Hospitality Award.” Since accepting the “Tommy” in 2003, I have fought against improper spending of bed tax dollars. www.taxteaparty.com/pacequotes  If you support a privately funded performing arts center, not the planned 90% Tax Funded Performing Arts Center let Sharon Liggett, TACVB board members and city and county representatives know www.taxteaparty.com and view Leon County Commissioners & Guy Thompson on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEY52x9ltIc

Join me at the TCVB annual meeting this Tuesday at the brand new tax funded Goodwood Museum Carriage House.  I’ve seen it.  The meeting space is beautiful! Commissioner John Dailey succeeded in getting $300,000 of bed tax dollars for the Goodwood Carriage meeting space Bailout. www.taxteaparty.com/goodwood

How “Good-Would” you like a $300,000 Goodwood Bailout for your business?  I’m disappointed that the tax dollars we collect are being used to compete against private owners of meeting space.  www.taxteaparty.com/goodwood

Suggestions for Area Tourist Development Strategic Plan

1. Goodwood gets $300,000 for 4,200 sq. ft. of meeting space.  Based on your square footage, what’s the amount of your Strategic Plan BAILOUT REQUEST?   $___________________ www.taxteaparty.com/goodwood

2. Do you agree that the Strategic Plan should prohibit bed tax dollars from again being used to compete against private property owners and business owners?   www.taxteaparty.com/goodwood    

Your name & contact info: _________________________________________________________________

3.  The existing Downtown Welcome Center greets less than 20 guests per day and has only two parking spaces.  Do you agree that we should have a Welcome Center at I-10?       http://taxteaparty.com/florida_welcome_station

4. What do you think should be included in the Tallahassee Area Tourism Strategic Plan?  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hope to see you at the meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, October.14, 2008.

Pace Allen, Attorney, CPA, aka Ben Jamin’ Franklin   www.taxteaparty.com

2003 Chairman – Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

General Manager, the Brand New Country Inn & Suites, Tallahassee – East

Mobile: 850.556.0709   pace@paceallen.us   YouTube Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEY52x9ltIc