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| Big Piney from the Rushing Bridge at dawn |
It was a simply glorious day in Arkansas yesterday. Warm, but not too hot. Sunny, but not too humid. A perfect day to celebrate not only our sci-fi geekdom, but the opening day of 2015’s National Travel and Tourism Week. And to celebrate it in the Natural State:
- Where last year we welcomed 26 million visitors and tourism expenditures brought in $6.7 billion.
- Where tourism is so much a part of our state economy that our Governor proclaimed May 2nd to 10th "Arkansas Tourism Week".
- Where we receive more than $460 million in state and local taxes annually from the hospitality industry.
- Where that same industry supports approximately 110,400 jobs.
- Where following the governor’s instructions to appreciate and enjoy “the natural beauty of Arkansas” could take you on a ride along the Scenic Highway 7, “the state's first state-designated scenic byway”, “arguably one of the most scenic drives in America”.
- Where you could rent a raft from some great folks (btw, if you want a little insight into the anger this project has caused, ask these folks how and when they found out about the project, and how close the preferred route came to their home and business. Ask them what Clean Line's reps said about why) and go on a scenic float down Big Piney Creek, “which ranks among the best float streams in the state”.
Surely anyone planning a major infrastructure project in the state would be cognizant of the importance of tourism and the locations of the areas that rely on it most directly, right? Especially a corporation so concerned with "outreach" and "stakeholders". Even if they had missed the occasional landowner, surely they would have developed a deep and effective working relationship with that state’s agencies that deal with… oh, parks and tourism? Apparently not.
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| Big Piney at sunset from the bluff on 4E |
