Tourism alive and well in Gainesville area

GAINESVILLE – The Gainesville City Council heard from their Communications and Tourism Director at Thursday morning's work session that tourism in the city is growing.

Catiel Felts told the Council that unaudited numbers for the fiscal year ended June 30th show hotel / motel tax revenue just over $537,000. That compares to $523,000 in the previous fiscal year.

“This is the highest reported amount in the past ten years,” Felts said, “and we think for all time, basically.”

Felts added that with the FLW Professional Bass Fishing World Championship happening on Lake Lanier next week, fiscal year 2013 is off to a great start, as well.

“We'll have a lot of fisherman...and their families in the area next week,” Felts said. “We'll be trying to entice the families, while the (competitors) are fishing, to be shopping downtown and attending some of the attractions that we have.”

“Also,” Felts added, “Gainesville is the the home of the Swarming Hornet Fish Head Spin...the lure that was used by the last two champions of the FLW World Championship.”

“There's a lot going on in this town, all the time,” Felts said amid the chuckles of the Council. “I have one of the lures in my office if you would like to see it.”

(Author's note: The lure was invented by local angler Rick Steckleberg over a decade ago and has become a mainstay among area fisherman.)


D.O.T. asks city to start their portion of new light installation

Chris Rotalsky of the Public Works Department brought a resolution to the Council for funding to begin road repaving on Howard Road at its intersection with Highway 365.

That intersection has gained grim notoriety in 2012 as the site of numerous serious vehicle accidents and is now on the Georgia Department of Transportation's expedited project list.

City Manager Kip Padgett explained, “The DOT, they're the ones that are taking the lead on the red light, and it's in their control, but they have asked us to speed up the process on (preparing) Howard Road.”

The J.A. Walters YMCA and a new mega-gas station are located on opposing sides of that intersection.

The resolution will be voted on by Council at their August 7th meeting.