By Wade H. Leonard
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 11:29 AM CST
Combining organizations, honoring native sons, creating
award-winning tourism packages and events and receiving recognition
in a few national publications are just a few of the highlights of
what the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau has accomplished
in 2008.
During their final meeting of the year Monday, CVB Executive
Director James Tsismanakis took a few moments to point out CVB's
2008 milestones to board members.
Highlights of the year included:
Winning a spot on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's
Dozen Distinct Destinations. Columbus is the second city in the
state, after Natchez, to receive the honor.
The state legislature granting the CVB at least 10 more years of
existence during their 2008 spring session.
Merging along with the Columbus Historic Foundation into the
Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation. One of the organization's
first actions was purchasing the Tennessee Williams Home from the
Mississippi Department of Transportation. The CCHF now owns the
rights to the Columbus Pilgrimage, the Decorative Arts Festival,
and African American Heritage Weekend.
For the third year in a row Columbus' Ghosts and Legends tour
sold out. Four hundred people attended the 2008 tour.
The MLK Dream 365 event winning a spot on the Southeastern
Tourism Society's Top 20 Events. MLK Dream 365 was the first
African American event in Columbus to win a spot on the list. Also
placed on the STS list were the Market Street Festival, the Roast
and Boast barbecue competition and the Tennessee Williams
Festival.
The placement of Lowndes County's second marker on the
Mississippi Blues Trail. The marker was dedicated to Crawford
native bluesman Big Joe Williams.
Events honoring famous native sons of the Friendly City which
included an event honoring the boxer Henry Armstrong, world famous
sports caster Red Barbour and Columbus' most famous native,
Tennessee Williams.
Lake Lowndes State Park being named one of the 50 top hiking
destinations by Reserve America.
The construction of new bathroom facilities on the east bank of
the Tenn-Tom Waterway. According to Tsisminakis the construction
was significant because it was the first time the city of Columbus,
the CVB and the Mississippi Corps of Engineers ever came together
to work for one common goal.
While remembering the past year the CVB continues to look toward
the future.
With several events both old and new coming to the area, the CVB
promises to be extremely busy in 2009.
"I think the really exciting thing about next year is it will be
really the first year we have Pilgrimage under the new
organization, and we're looking at a lot of new ideas and
expansions with the event," said Tsismanakis.
The CVB will also launch a new web site near the first of the
year designed to be accessible to anyone regardless of
language.
"With our airbase so full of so many international students we
thought it would be a good idea for the web site user to be able to
convert the text to any language they need it to be," said
Tsismanakis.
Other events coming to Columbus through the CVB include a March
6 boxing event featuring Deonte "The Bronze Bomber" Wilder - the
only American to medal in boxing in the 2008 Olympic games, a large
scale fishing tournament called the Crappie Classic to be held in
September and moving to a new building near the Tennessee Williams
home.
Perhaps, according to Tsismanakis, the most exciting prospect of
next year will depend upon President-elect Barack Obama getting his
stimulus package passed. The passing of the package could lead to a
$10 million grant which will be used to refurbish the Trotter
Convention Center.
"We hope Obama's stimulus package works for Columbus tourism,"
he said. "That's a challenge, and I hope we can get it."