News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Town of Monterey is adding a new Bee Rock Overlook Logo to travel signs along I-40.
Monterey Cultural Administrator Rafferty Cleary said the new logo is part of the marketing campaign as the town has already obtained billboards to promote Bee Rock Overlook in Cookeville and Crossville. Cleary said the town’s depot museum has seen success due to having a logo on travel signs along I-40 and hopes this project will see the same results.
“I would say that well over 50 percent of our out-of-state and out-of-town visitors find our museum due to those logo signs that are on those interstate exits,” Cleary said. “So we know it’s a beneficial program and we think it will go a long way of getting more folks out to Bee Rock.”
Cleary said the town figured if they were going to place billboards that more signage was needed along I-40 to better guide visitors to Bee Rock. Cleary said he would hate for people to not visit Monterey because travelers missed the exit.
“We are going to warn them a few miles out,” Cleary said. “And then we are gonna drag them in and reel them in right when they get into town that’s what this is really going to do.”
Cleary said the logo will be a black and white sticker that says Bee Rock and be placed on the big blue travel and lodging signs. Cleary said the town went with black and white due to the cost.
“Rather than doing anything fancy, we are just doing Bee Rock black and white and slap it on there,” Cleary said. “That’s what we did for the depot museum it just saves a lot of money actually. To do a color and add a logo the price went up several hundred dollars so we will keep it simple and go with that.”
Cleary said the town also had an economic impact study done last year and the results showed more marketing was needed for Bee Rock.
“What is said is that we needed to do a little bit better job of marketing it and telling folks about it,” Cleary said. “Because we know that when people do visit Bee Rock they are having a great impact on our local economy and so if we can get more focus for people to go out there and visit particularly new visitors folks who have never been here before that’s what we want to do.”
Cleary said the cost of the project is $2,625. Cleary said the annual cost will then be $1,375 to keep the logo on the sign. Cleary said the town will be paying for the cost using the hotel-motel occupancy tax the town has put in place.
