Chamber on the ball with welcome center
Chamber of Commerce officials have struck a pleasant-sounding chord with their idea of a Bonnaroo welcome center near the Warren County-White County line. With a music festival attended by close to 100,000 people taking place just 20 minutes from McMinnville, the welcome center makes sense from every standpoint.
For starters, there’s no way to estimate the volume of good will such a welcome center will create. It’s hard to measure the impact of Southern hospitality. But giving free drinks to road-weary travelers can be construed as nothing but positive.
The tiny welcome station, manned by only a handful of volunteers, will deliver a message that Warren County is a worthwhile place to visit. It says we’re proud of the county we call home and we’re glad to open our arms to guests.
It’s also a 10-minute chance to sell these travelers on all Warren County has to offer. A few pamphlets and a friendly smile may be all it takes to entice these visitors to return in the future. From Rock Island State Park to Cumberland Caverns, there are sites in Warren County that can only be seen right here.
And finally, as these festival goers are pointed in the right direction and sent on their way to Bonnaroo, they leave with coupons for dozens of Warren County businesses. Since Bonnaroo is held on this side of Manchester, before Interstate 24, McMinnville is the last retail district these tourists will hit before their final destination.
For folks about to rough it for three days in a giant field, they will no doubt need supplies. Everything from ice, to bottled water, to toilet paper are essential to make it through the weekend and it’s all available right here.
Kroger and Wal-Mart are obvious choices on the road to Bonnaroo, but if we can get these travelers to steer off the beaten path, McMinnville has even more to offer.
For a county about to be descended upon by thousands of travelers, a Bonnaroo welcome center is music to our ears. It’s a great idea from the Chamber that says even more about the people of Warren County.