Attracting business to Cannon County

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By MELINDA HUDGENS

Back roads, grits and moonshine all meet in the rolling hills of nearby Cannon County, and local leaders are doing their part to attract out-of-towners - and their dollars - to the area.

Given its size and nearly non-existent marketing budget, Cannon County isn't in the position to promote its attractions, explains volunteer Chamber president Neal Applebaum. That's why he's called on neighboring Rutherford County and its prominent Chamber of Commerce for help.

The two organizations have launched a joint tourism campaign, "Backroads, Grits and Moonshine Tour," that takes visitors on a tour of the Readyville Mill, Arts Center of Cannon County, Blue Porch @ Arts Center, Short Mountain Distillery and antique shopping on the Square.

Applebaum said he's glad to have the opportunity to show other people what makes Cannon County so very special.

"It helps us spread the word … we get the benefit of having our name dropped any time a person comes here and takes a picture, then spreads the word through social media. Rutherford County is basically opening the door for those folks," he said.

"A condition and side benefit of that is being smarter to work together to generate business that is necessary to keep these economies going. We're both good at marketing what is unique to Middle Tennessee."

Applebaum and Mona Herring, vice president of convention and tourism bureau with the Rutherford County Chamber, both credit Blue Porch @ Arts Center owner Wanda Thompson with envisioning the tour concept.

"With all (the attractions here), it made sense that we were a good loop for a tour. Short Mountain Distillery was the last thing we needed to make it a really good day tour," she said.

"Cannon County is sort of this well-kept secret, and it is kind of a happenin' place. Moonshine is really trendy right now, and our big thing (at Blue Porch @ Arts Center) is pick local, buy local, shop local, and that's really trendy right now. With the Readyville Mill and the Arts Center and everything we have going on here, we happen to be on a wave that is starting in Cannon County, and I think it will definitely kick off."

Woodbury has one 12-room hotel and a two-room bed and breakfast. It's not exactly ideal for visitors looking for a weekend stay.

"We thought this would be a good partnership for people to come into Murfreesboro and stay in our hotels, and then we take them on this tour," Herring explained.

"We've taken the tour idea to travel shows that we go to, and then we sell it to the group tour leaders. They bring a 55-seat bus full of people down here, and we take them on this tour."

Additionally, many visitors to Rutherford County have toured Oaklands Historic Mansion and Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro or Sam Davis Home and Nissan in Smyrna. The Back Roads, Grits and Moonshine Tour offers another site to be seen and experience to be had.

Herring said the tour's first trip to Cannon County was "very, very successful." In fact, Short Mountain Distillery sold the group some six cases of moonshine.

"They had a great time, they had a wonderful time, and they enjoyed every bit of it an on this tour," she said.

"We realize that a visitor doesn't really know where the county lines are, and they really don't care where the county lines are. As long as they're staying with us, and we're able to bring them in for a night for the tour or extend their stay here, that benefits all the citizens of Rutherford County."

When tourists spend their money in Rutherford County, local residents reap the benefits of sales tax and hotel tax dollars that are used for local roadways and education.

According to figures recently released by the U.S. Travel Association's Economic Impact of Travel on Tennessee Counties Report, tourism and travel-related expenditures in Rutherford County increased significantly in 2011.

The report shows that travel-related expenditures in Rutherford County were $252.83 million in 2011.  This amount reflects a $24.3 million (10.61 percent) increase over the previous year's figure of $228.6 million.

Rutherford County also experienced an increase in local and state tax receipts. These figures place Rutherford County third in terms of travel-related expenditures in the 13-county Mid-Cumberland Region and ninth out of the state's 95 counties.

"If we can bring people in to our hotels, and they eat here, and we can take them to nearby counties and they stay here longer, that's better for all of us," Herring said. "We say that our visitors are temporary tax payers; when they come in here, they spend their money, they spend the night, they eat in our restaurants, and they do us a big favor by leaving."

While the Back Roads, Grits and Moonshine Tour is currently only available to pre-formed group tours, community leaders encourage local residents to make the 20-minute drive to Cannon County and take a self-guided tour of the attractions. Herring says opening the tour to locals is a possibility, and the idea may be explored further in the future.

Readyville Mill is open on Saturday mornings for breakfast and tours, and it is also available for events like weddings and celebrations.

Nearby, Blue Porch @ Arts Center is open six days a week and offers a variety of breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner hours, and The Arts Center of Cannon County is also open for tours and shows.

While the Famers' Market is now closed for the winter season, it will reopen in a new building on June 1.

Residents can also hop on over to Short Mountain Distillery for tastings Thursday through Saturday.

"Many Rutherford County residents didn't know until recently that we have a distillery or  how much goes on at the Arts Center and that it won a Grammy a couple of years ago," Applebaum said.


"Rutherford County is about 20 times our population. I'm not sure anybody realizes that. And probably 30 percent of all the people who are working go to Rutherford County every day, but it doesn't happen in reverse. People are rarely traveling this way."


He also pointed out that Cannon County has made the news for bad acts instead of for having good business, and "we're just trying to let people know that we have great things to offer."
Applebaum added the joint venture also leads to more business synergies between the two counties - not just tourism, but other business opportunities.


"Cannon County is working on retailing local beef, but we need more than the population of Cannon County to consume local cows," he said. "We're doing a great job with grass fed, organic cows, so let's supply the region with food, too."

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COURIER SPOTLIGHT
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business, Cannon County, Chamber of Commerce
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[Delete]
November 20, 2012 at 2:23pm
Thanks to Blue Porch and Wanda for a terrific idea!

These are the things we should be talking about and promoting here in Cannon County.

Thanks to you as well Neal for all that you do to try to improve Cannon County and promote the great things we have here locally.
[Delete]
November 20, 2012 at 6:11pm
Now you're thinking folks! Great ideas. Move ahead and good luck with the tour. Tourism has long been an overlooked asset in Cannon County.
November 21, 2012 at 7:17am
did not realize there was a "12 room hotel" in woodbury.i remember the old "maple motel" where mcdonalds is now,and bob stones "motel paradise"down from the church and up from the "feed and seed",however i was unaware of a "hotel' in woodbury.where are these accomodations located.never seen any advertising related to this hotel.but the tourism bringing money to cannon county does seem workable,and a good start to promoting and improving woodbury and cannon co.good people working TOGETHER for the future of the area,sounds great to me.keep up the good work!and as always remember"opinions VARY!"
[Delete]
November 21, 2012 at 7:57am
The name of the hotel is Cannon Inn. Go to: Go to: http://cannoninnofwoodbury.com/
November 21, 2012 at 10:06am
wow,nice place.appears very warm and cozy."inn" yes,however i believe its reaching a bit to call it a "hotel".i knew this "inn" was there,just didnt realize it was so large,and so very nice.that being said,i still believe there is no "HOTEL" in woodbury.however there are very nice places for our touring guests to stay.thank goodness (with apologies to joni mitchell)they paved bob stones PARADISE,and put up a parking lot.and thanks to Bonnie for providing the info on the website.it really shows how very nice the cannon inn is.whether its an inn or hotel isnt nearly important as bringing people,businesses,jobs,and MONEY to this fine community.remember,opinions vary.
November 23, 2012 at 6:13pm
I am glad there is some plan on the works , but the fact that annonomoose was not aware of Cannon Inn is one of the main problems no advertising or real help from Chamber of Commerce...
[Delete]
November 25, 2012 at 6:14am
I stayed at the inn a couple of nights while some remodeling was being done on my house and it is a very fine place to stay.

It is sad we do not offer more rooms for people to stay because the annual Lions Club Horseshow in July each year would fill up a hotel twice if we had one. Instead we send them packing back to Murfreesboro.

The Bed & Breakfast on College street is absolutely beautiful and although there are not many rooms it is so worth the stay there just because of the history and beauty of the house.

[Delete]
November 25, 2012 at 7:54am
One of the challenges the Chamber of Commerce faces is the packaging of all commercial amenities available in Woodbury and in Cannon County. Most counties market themselves through many venues to tourists. One is a brochure. Does Cannon County now have a brochure reflecting all the fine offerings available here? Perhaps those businesses that would benefit most greatly from tourism would join together in the publication of such a brochure. This may already be done or in the process but I know for sure that only a couple of years ago there was no such brochure available for Cannon County at visitors centers around the state. Marketing is a requirement in today's world as competition even for tourist dollars is extreme.
[Delete]
November 25, 2012 at 10:35am
We (the Industrial Development Board) does have a brochure Bonnie that explains a lot and promotes a lot of the positive things we have available here in Cannon County to entice businesses / industry to locate here.

Neal Appelbaum just finished it a couple of weeks ago and it looks awesome.

I do not know if the Chamber of Commerce has one or not. It would be a good idea to invest in one just to simply showcase what we have and maybe attract visitors to come here.
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