A dozen members of the Eureka Springs area business community had a long-awaited opportunity to offer feedback to the City Advertising and Promotion Commission during a workshop held Aug. 23 — a round-table discussion that all involved hope is a regular occurrence moving forward.
“I think sometimes we are accused of just all talking, no action,” CAPC chair Chris Clifton said before the workshop, which included business owners and representatives of area hotels, restaurants, retail businesses and attractions. “So, we’ve talked about having something like this and starting some community work. Of course, we’re just going to talk, but hopefully we’ll get some action out of it and they learn some things from you guys, your ideas, what is some of the marketing strategies you have on a higher level, how you think maybe that impacts the city or the CAPC … your opinion is to help us.”
The CAPC has communicated a desire to be more transparent with community stakeholders in recent months and used the workshop to discuss things from how The Auditorium is used to advertising techniques to an upcoming bid for a marketing agency.
Tourism tax funds that go to the CAPC come from restaurants and lodging but those involved at the workshop feel all businesses need to voice opinions on how to work together to make Eureka Springs more attractive not only for visitors, but also residents.
“Anytime we get around the table like this and start talking about the activities and how hard we’re working individually, it creates a synergistic energy that just makes me want to go back with ideas that I’m writing down to go back and have a better business and a better Eureka overall,” said Damon Henke, a former CAPC member and a business owner who is a frequent visitor to commission meetings. “So, obviously we can’t do these weekly, but certainly if not four times a year, twice a year to try and keep people on the same page in the same motivation level. Because every time we get around the table, we leave as better operators every single time.”
Jack Moyer, executive vice president of the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa, Basin Park Hotel and owner of other lodging in the area, offered much input to the panel focusing on ways businesses can help the CAPC with advertising.
“I think that’s one of the one of the reasons why I came here today is I’m very interested in the foundation of the advertising program and what the core elements are,” Moyer said. “Looking around the room, we’ve got some of the primary collectors and some of the primary attractions that are in it 365 days a year. And I think it’s so important that the commission remembers the brand components that drive tourism every day of the year to Eureka Springs.”
Sometimes in the past business owners have felt as if advertising by the commission was possibly hurting area businesses rather than helping, Moyer said.
“I think it’s important for the commission to know you can get lost in social media and you can get lost in the chatter and get lost in some of the angry talk that’s out there, but the foundation around the table here, we’ve worked together in unison for decades, and we want the commission to be a part of that,” Moyer said. “And this is a great step forward to ask for feedback and to listen.
“… None of us are interested in us generating collections and you using it to compete against us, OK? That has happened. It’s frustrating. And we don’t want to see that happen, right? You can, however, use that to enhance the offering. I think about Thursday nights. Thursday nights are great for entertainment. Your talent is cheaper and see, it only helps this town. You bring people in on Thursday and they stay Friday and Saturday. You know it’s a win and that’s the type of thought if the commission can be moved towards that, you then generate big support. You know, it’s there. … if we can just sort of move that thought process along those lines, I think you’ll see the commission has a lot of support from the community.”
Rodney Slane, owner of Grotto’s, Filling Station, Sauced and Slane’s Tavern, and Laci Moffitt, owner of Eureka Clothing Company, said that while there are good months business has been down a bit. They said events promoted by the CAPC can have an impact.
“Not to say that we haven’t had our good months, but I would really like to see the old Eureka revive itself where we have something packed on every weekend … these things need to be addressed,” Slane said. “And I feel like, you know, if we are going to pack The Aud out then we have to also keep in mind the other venues. If we’re just a Friday and Saturday thing here, then it also sort of hurts the other venues. If we can try and push things towards our Mondays through Thursdays where we’re not as busy, that would be great.
“Right now we’re just waiting for November and October. They’re going to be huge and Christmas is going to be fantastic this year, yes. A fully lit up town.”
Moffitt said she alters her business hours a bit based on events and said it’s important for retailers to be aware of when visitors are wanting a shopping experience.
“When I first moved here in 2016, nothing happened in The Aud and we always wondered, my gosh, that’s a great place. They don’t know what they have on their hands,” Moffitt said. “And now that we’re using it, I think it’s just a great benefit to all of us. And just with retail, it’s just different times that you’re busy because of the performance and the artist. So, it’s not like it’s taking business away from us. It’s just different days and different times. We’ve also found being open with retail downtown consistency is key. Everybody knows that. If you’re going to be open seven days a week, be open seven days a week.”
Three of the top attractions in the county — The Great Passion Play, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Opera in the Ozarks — were also represented at the workshop.
Cheryl King, marketing director at Turpentine Creek, shared with attendees an economic impact study done in 2021 that involved 10,996 surveys. The refuge had 56,890 visitors in 2021 and the study revealed those guests “spent a minimum of $19,217,069 in Eureka Springs,” according to King.
An upcoming expansion will add 13 1/2 acres to Turpentine Creek with the addition of cats coming from Florida, which is anticipated to be complete in 2025. The economic impact of the refuge is projected to be $51,759,000 for the state, King said.
“So at this point, we estimate 223 new jobs will be created in the hospitality industry alone,” King said of the expansion. “We believe that it will increase the local economy by tourists by $22,291,000, and that our local families will see earning increases of $6,632,000. This will generate $22,836,000 in ripple effect economy impacts due to their increased spending. So we anticipate seeing our visitor volume increase from the 56,800 that we saw in 2021 upwards to 150,000 by 2025.”
Many at the table thanked the CAPC members and director Scott Bardin for seeking input from all business owners.
“All of us want Eureka to thrive,” Moffitt said. “So I feel like this right here is a great step forward.”
