News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
White County will be opening a new Visitors Center soon, sharing the building with the Chamber of Commerce.
The state awarded the county $100,000 for renovations to the facility, a former bank just east of the County Courthouse. White County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the county purchased the building and it is currently being renovated.
“It’s really going to help the people here locally on their tax burden,” Robinson said. “I mean you love tourists, they come and they pay their taxes and they leave.”
The grant money is going to be used for flooring, handicap accessible bathrooms, some sidewalk adjustments and moving some walls. The rest of the cost of renovating new Visitors Center/Chamber building will come from chamber funds.
“We’re hoping it’s going to be a big help,” Robinson said. “Have a good visible building. I hope people stop in. In conjunction with our new state park we’re getting in White County, combine that with the water access we have for all the kayaking, we’re just hoping it makes a big difference to have a place for people to go and get information on how to access all the amenities we do have.”
Scott’s Gulf Wilderness State Park will be located in White County adding to the county’s existing trails and other natural attributes. Robinson said the location of the Visitors Center is ideal.
“One of the good things about that location is, of course a lot of people us like Google Maps and for some reason if you’re coming in from the east and coming into White County and your destination is to the south of us like McMinnville or Van Buren County or something,” Robinson said. “Instead of taking you across town it cuts you in down that road and back through a residential area. The new Chamber building is going to be right where that turn is.”
The Upper Cumberland received some $375,000 in Tourism Enhancement Grants. The state awarded some $2.2 million to communities statewide.
