Hope Tourism Commission

The Hope Tourism Commission met on Tuesday (6-11). The minutes were approved as was the financial report.  Eleven businesses are behind on remitting their tax on lodging and prepared food. Notices have been sent to these delinquent businesses.

For the “Viewpoint” show, Arkansas’s Great Southwest has agreed to pay half with the proper proofs of ads being run.  “Viewpoint” is a PBS program hosted by Dennis Quaid.

The Tourism Commission discussed some tents that can be purchased.

The Tourism Commission voted to purchase some replacement wooden shingles for one of the “Welcome to Hope” signs.  The cost is $9 per shingle.  The sign is being refurbished due to age.  The migrant center was suggested as being a good place for a Hope Welcome Sign. Because of the concern of spending all the money and having to move it a motion passed to table it until there was more information.

Summer Chambers met with Ashley Moore and they jointly examined how man hits the website promoting Hope received. They were impressed by social media with all of the hits particularly on the “Eat and Stay Here” category and the Jonquil Festival. $300 of the money allocated was not spent as the video was not used. Either the video will need to be reshot or the money allocated for something else.

Chambers expressed the opinion that Hope was doing better than the surrounding areas. As the promotional maps are being redone this may change. Currently the area extends from the Oklahoma state line to El Dorado.

There will be the rescheduled Jack Williams softball tournament on Saturday June 15th.  If it goes well Hope will run the tournaments independently in the future.

According to Terrie James, staff chair for the Cooperative Extension office, Hope should qualify for a wellness grant that would help in updating safety on the trail system in the parks. One hundred percent of the costs would be covered.  This will be determined by August.  Another grant could possibly fund construction of a splash pad for Northside Park.

The issue of the concession stands in the park and possible need for food trucks was brought up. The statement was made of not wanting to have an issue at the Watermelon Festival. Arnetta Bradford has the Concession agreement for Kelly Field and there was a concern last year of the stand not being properly manned. The city plans to check exactly what the agreement is and talked about possibly getting food trucks in there.