Tourism is a leading industry in Rome
Reports show a $143 million impact on Rome and Floyd County in 2015.
Tourists visiting Rome and Floyd County left behind an estimated $143 million in 2015.
Greater Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Lisa Smith said that makes tourism one of the largest industries in the community. She predicts there will be an increase when the final numbers for 2016 are released later this year.
Smith moved to Rome from central Florida 23 years ago. She initially served as director for the Rome Area Council for the Arts for three years before taking a marketing position with the Northwest Georgia Credit Union. She has headed the CVB for the past 18 years.
“I loved being in this community and it was an opportunity for me to share the gospel of our surroundings to the world,” Smith said about coming the CVB. “The world has been our audience because of things like Tour de Georgia, the Rome International Film Festival.”
Not long after Smith succeeded Diana Shadday at the CVB, consultants were brought on board in a bid to develop a “brand” for Rome and Floyd County. “They came back and said we just can’t be known for one thing,” Smith said. “There are so many things going on.”
Smith believes there are numerous reasons for optimism that tourist dollars will continue to grow locally. The CVB boss said residents of Rome and Floyd County have contributed mightily to the success her office has enjoyed in recent years.
Smith said the SPLOSTfunded Rome Tennis Center at Berry College is already busy hosting tournaments.
Another key reason for optimism, according to Smith, is the SPLOST money that is funding major renovations to the Forum River Center. “It’s been there for 21 years, can you believe that?” Smith asked.
“Why are we seeing hotels popping up? Because we need them,” Smith said. A lot of weekends we are walking people (to hotels) out of the county. The hoteliers say they need more activity during the week and Smith hopes that’s where work on the Forum will help.
A staff that has been in place for many years bolsters the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Kathy Mathis has been Smith’s director virtually her entire adult life. Ann Hortman is celebrating her 10th anniversary with the CVB this Lisa Smith Ann Hortman
The 124-room Courtyard by Marriott is expected to be open in time for a Georgia Association of the Deaf convention in July. CVB Director Lisa Smith said the proximity of the hotel on West Third Street across the river from the Forum River Center will aid in the process of bidding for mid-sized to large conventions.
year. Charlene Mathis is the retail manager at the Last Stop Gift Shop and Debbie Law has been her assistant for over eight years.
Kristi Kent has been director of communications for the past four years and has been instrumental in bringing the CVB and communications efforts for the rest of the city of Rome as well into the modern communications age. Nic Diaz is on board as an assistant to Kent.
Close to 20 volunteers or part-time employees help pilot the Joel Sulzbacher Roman Holiday tour boat and the new Roman Chariot golf cart shuttles that ferry folks up and down Broad Street on Fridays and Saturdays
Smith brought on Thomas Kislat to join the staff as a contracted sales agent last year to focus on resurrecting the meetings and convention business. Chuck Meeks has similarly just been brought on board as a contract videographer. His role will be to help develop a city YouTube channel, again making a bid to stay up to date with the latest technology in getting the word out about everything that is happening in Rome
Sports tourism has clearly been the bread and butter for the CVB in recent years. She said the Rome Sports Commission, led by Hortman, has been the bread and butter over the last couple of years.
Tennis has clearly been the headliner for the CVB over the last decade. Smith said the effort to bring a major new tennis center has been on her plate for most of the last eight years. She said the new complex will not only strengthen Rome’s role as a hub for tennis play across the Southeast, but has already enhanced Rome’s reputation as one of the leading tennis communities in the entire nation.
One of the biggest challenges
Smith sees as it relates to tennis involves construction of enclosed or covered courts at the tennis center.
Rome will host the Atlantic Coast Conference tennis championships this year after the conference decided to take all championship events out of North Carolina. To keep that event, covered courts are a necessity so that play can continues on a timely basis in the event of rain. Rome has developed a working relationship with Georgia Tech in Atlanta and private facilities in Chattanooga
to host matches in the event of rain at this year’s event, but Smith said Rome needs its own facility.
“We are a force to be reckoned with in tennis, but for us to stay on top of our game and be competitive at this level, we’ve got to have covered courts,” Smith said. “There are 25 covered courts in Chattanooga.”
Rome has hosted a number of adaptive sports events include the Clocktower Classic Handcycling races and the Clocktower Wheelchair Tennis Classic.
“The Wings Over North Georgia air show has been a windfall for our airport,” Smith said. Smith said the 1,000-foot runway extension at the airport would be a major benefit to future growth across the entire northern section of the community.
“Tourism has been on a track of continual growth because of Rome’s diversity,” Smith said. “Whether it’s the arts, the outdoors, family reunions, the convention business, the film business, even mo t o r c o a c h gr o u p s . Rome sells itself.” Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune
She said the fact that much of what happens in Rome is family-oriented and Rome is generally a safe city help attract groups to the community.
The growth in the hotel industry is another indicator of the economic impact tourism has. The new Hampton Inn & Suites, the new Courtyard by Marriott slated to open later this year and plans for yet another addition to the Hawthorn Suites planned to get underway later this year are all proof of the growing numbers of people coming to Rome for special events.