Commission backs cornhole event, bloggers summit

BENTONVILLE — Advertising and Promotion commissioners agreed to spend $16,500 between two events; one that will bring attention to the Benton County Fairgrounds and another that will bring continued attention to the area’s outdoor recreation opportunities.

An American Cornhole Organization “major tournament” will be held at the fairgrounds in March thanks to Visit Bentonville paying the $4,000 bid fee and $2,500 facility fee to use the arena.

Commissioners approved the expenditure at their monthly meeting Tuesday.

Visit Bentonville allots $100,000 annually to events showing promise of bringing tourism dollars to the city. Commissioners hear requests three times a year, and usually not in May.

The deadline for all of the bid fees for 2018 events is the end of May, said Luke Charpentier, Visit Bentonville sports sales manager.

“We’ve been trying to figure out events we can bring to the fairgrounds,” said Kalene Griffith, Visit Bentonville president and CEO.

If events can be successful there, it may be easier to recruit other events to use the facilities there, she said.

The American Cornhole Organization is about to begin its 13th season, said Frank Greer, president.

The tournament tour last year was held in 14 cities through out the country. Each draws players from a 300- to 400-mile radius, he said.

Different venues are used. A unique aspect to Bentonville’s event is players could camp at the fairgrounds, Greer said.

The tournament will be held in March. Greer said a welcome party could be organized to encourage players to come in early and a community event on Sunday could encourage them to stay through the weekend.

“It is something the ACO wants you to think of as an investment and partnership because this is your event to retain as long as you chose to retain it,” he said. “As we continue to grow nation-wide, we only expect bigger and bigger things to happen with our events and all of our partners.”

Griffith said she thought the event would be great and unique.

“I’m always interested in trying something like that, stepping out of our traditional sports,” she said. “I think it has potential.”

Commissioners supported the event and discussed cornhole as a competitive event.

“I’ve see it at a few tailgates, but I didn’t know it was a sport,” said Commissioner Lee Culpepper.

Commissioners also approved spending $10,000 for the Outdoor Blogger Summit on Oct. 26-28.

The event will bring 150 bloggers as well as brand representatives from outdoor brands such as Patagonia, Otter Box and Leatherman.

The summit was held in Jackson Hole, Wyo., last year, and attendees spent $26,000 in the city, according to meeting documents. They were also able to reach 23.4 million on social media and create 4 million impressions.

The value of hosting this event could be huge, Griffith said, explaining there were only 14 travel writers who attended the International Mountain Bicycling Association when it was held in Bentonville last fall but the trails continue to receive media coverage on a regular basis from it.

“I can’t buy that advertising we’re getting with the editorials,” she said.

The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism also committed $5,000 to the summit, and the Walton Family Foundation granted another $10,000. That along with Visit Bentonville’s $10,000, will give summit organizers the money needed to hold the event, according to Griffith.

Visit Bentonville’s $10,000 will come from the remaining $8,000 left in the budget for bloggers and travel writers, and the remaining $2,000 will come from the advertising budget.

“I think you’ll get more bang for your buck on this than individual travel writers coming through,” said Chris Sooter, commission chairman.