Adventure Tourism Entrepreneur And Small Business Workshop [Master Copy]

Entrepreneur and Small Business WorkshopADVENTURETOURISM

WelcomeADVENTURETOURISMWORKSHOP
Agenda
Registration
Welcome
Dignitary Comments
Regional Tourism Development Updates
Break
Hatfield McCoy Trail System Update
Adventure Tourism Business Panel Discussion
Roundtable Lunch
Business in the Commonwealth
How to Start and Operate a Business
Growing your Business
Break
Marketing Strategies
Financing/Managing Resources
Tourism Start up Financing
Other Available resources
Upcoming Educational Opportunities
Conclusion/Surveys

Entrepreneur and Small Business Workshop
Our SponsorsADVENTURETOURISM
Spearhead
Trailblazers
Community Leaders
Buchanan County Dickenson County Lee County
Russell County Scott County Tazewell County
Wise County City of Norton Area Towns

Special GuestsADVENTURETOURISM

Regional Tourism Development UpdateADVENTURETOURISM
• Heartwood – Todd Christensen, SWHCC Director
• Crooked Road – Jonathan Romeo, Interim Exec. Director
• ‘Round the Mountain’ – Diana Blackburn, Exec. Director
• Virginia Coal Heritage Trail – Linda Tate, Chair
• Wilderness Road – Joy Nihil, DBWTA President
• Heart of Appalachia – Rita Surratt, Chair
• Spearhead Trails – Mark Caruso, SRRA Vice Chair
• Fish Va. First – Randy Rose, VTC Dev. Specialist

Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Commission
Todd Christensen - HEARTWOODADVENTURETOURISM

Round the MountainADVENTURETOURISM

Virginia Coal Heritage TrailADVENTURETOURISM

Wilderness RoadADVENTURETOURISM

Heart of Appalachia Tourism AuthorityADVENTURETOURISM

Spearhead TrailsADVENTURETOURISM
SOUTHWEST REGIONAL RECREATION
AUTHORITY
Ready for the next Step!
Multi-Use Trails
for
Adventure Tourism
and
Economic Development

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL RECREATION AUTHORITY
15.2-6016. Southwest Regional Recreation
Authority established.
We are created by statute to establish,
operate, and maintain public, multiple use,
recreational trails and related facilities that are
part of the Southwest Regional Recreation
Area, also known as the Spearhead
Trails.
We are governed by a board of directors that
includes appointed representatives of the
following jurisdictions in Southwest Virginia:

Appointed SRRA
Board
Wise Co. Russell Co.
Tazewell
Co.
Scott Co. Lee Co.
Dickenson
Co.
City of
Norton
Buchanan
Co.
Steering
Committee
Equestrian
HikingMotorized
WaterwayFishing
Biking
Non-Voting
Board Members
Spearhead Trails Executive
Director
TRAILBLAZERS

SRRA
Board
Executive
Director
(FT)
Chief
Public Safety
(FT)
Rangers
(FT/PT)
Trail Operations
Director
(FT)
Field Tech.
(PT)
HEO
(PT)
Marketing
Director
(FT)
Marketing
Asst.
(PT)
Retail Sales
Manager
(PT)
Office and HR
Director
(FT)
Admin Asst.
(PT)
Interns

In April 2009, through grants from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Revitalization Commission and the
Motorcycle Industry Council/Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA)
hired "We Make Things Happen" (WMTH) Corporation to complete a feasibility study and develop a comprehensive plan
for the Spearhead Trails initiative.
Summit Engineering developed maps and provided assistance.
Feasibility Study & Comprehensive Plan

3. We will work with public land holders to assist in the
development of trails on public lands that have economic
potential for local communities.
1. Facilitate recreational trails development that will
Create economic opportunities for local businesses.
2. We will seek cooperative easements on tracts of private
land to create public use trails.

Near Perfect Existing
Land Owner / Topographic Patterns
We have hundreds of miles of coal, gas, and
timber roads; yet we do not have one mile of
trails for public motorized recreation

Three Regional Initiatives

Economic Impact: Horseback Riding
Knott County KY Annual Trail Ride
10,000 people and 7,000 riders this
year!
Economic Impact on the
Region:
0ver $2.3 million
This could be happening in SW Virginia

Economic Impact: Canoeing & Boating
The Meramec River in Missouri
attracts over 8,000 people on a
given weekend
This could be happening along the Clinch River in Scott, Russell and
Wise counties and along the Powell River in the southern portion of
Lee County.

Economic Impact: Birding & Wildlife
A small town in Texas marketed bird watching which
resulted in 160 new jobs and
a 28% increase in sales tax!
Virginia has the best and most
complete Wildlife & Birding Trail
System!
SW Virginia could include wildlife viewing as part of all their
trails and set themselves apart from others.

Black Mountain Trails in East Kentucky
The Evarts Trail Head has seen 5 ATV shops open up, 14 new
log cabins built, 2 new RV/camps, 31 rental homes and
apartments, 3 new restaurants, 2 new car washes, 2 new
restaurants, and 61.5 new jobs created.

Economic Impact: Off-Road Vehicles
Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA) could
potentially generate over a $ million
in permit fees and $ millions $ in economic output for the
local communities
Hatfield-McCoy ATV Trail System is
bringing $$’s and creating jobs in
West Virginia!

This could be happening in SW Virginia

Southwest Virginia has
tremendous potential to
become
“A Trail
Destination”
for OHV riders horseback
riders, bikers, hikers, canoeists,
naturalists and others.

The Spearhead Trail System
could bring an additional
$30 million to local economies
at a time
when economic growth
is desperately needed.

The Spearhead Trail System
has the potential to bring
200,000 visitors to the region
and to create
300 to 500 new jobs!

 Acquire Operational and Capital Start up Funds
 Establish Spearhead Trails Executive Director Position
 Establish Landowner Agreements (Cooperative Easements)
 100-300 miles
 Conduct entrepreneur workshops throughout the region for
Adventure Tourism :
 Conduct Hands On Trail Building workshops
 Develop Spearhead Trails Operational Policies and Business Plan
 Facilitate Business Development in SWVA

 Hire Key Spearhead Trails Staff
 Develop and Implement a Marketing Plan
 Open Multiuse Trails Throughout the Region
 Work with Public Land Holders to Restore or Create New Trails

Fish Virginia FirstADVENTURETOURISM

The Hatfield-McCoy Trail SystemADVENTURETOURISM

Adventure Tourism Business Panel Discussion
Shawn Hash - Tangent Outfitters (River / Biking / Outfitter – Guide)
ADVENTURETOURISM

Linda Hayes - The Inn at River Bend (Lodging)
ADVENTURETOURISM

Tom Horsh (Biking / Shuttle / Outfitters, Lodging)
ADVENTURETOURISM

Donnie Turner – Carroll County & Blue Cat on the New (River / Biking Outfitter / Guide)
ADVENTURETOURISM

Mountain Creek Mountain Rustic Resort
ADVENTURETOURISM

Business in the Commonwealth
Sandy Ratliff – Department of Business Assistance
ADVENTURETOURISM

How to Start and Operate a Business
Tim Blankenbechler - SBDC
ADVENTURETOURISM

Growing Your Business
Steve Willinger, SCORE
ADVENTURETOURISM

Financing / Managing Resources
Scott Peak – Wachovia Bank
ADVENTURETOURISM

Tourism Start-Up Financing
Becky Nave. Ninth District Development Financing, Inc.
ADVENTURETOURISM

Other Available Resources
Sandy Ratliff - DBA
ADVENTURETOURISM

Upcoming Educational Opportunities
Kitty Barker, VTC
ADVENTURETOURISM

Surveys
Rita Suratt - HOATA
ADVENTURETOURISM

Entrepreneur and Small Business Workshop
Thanks again to our SponsorsADVENTURETOURISM
Spearhead
Trailblazers
Community Leaders
Buchanan County Dickenson County Lee County
Russell County Scott County Tazewell County
Wise County City of Norton Area Towns

Conclusion
Mark Caruso – Vice Chair SRRA
ADVENTURETOURISM

Adventure Tourism Entrepreneur And Small Business Workshop [Master Copy]

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