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 Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell told nearly 50 Henryetta area residents there is an opportunity here to get more visitors to town and the area.
Pinnell, who is secretary of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, toured Henryetta Monday with stops at the high school, hospital and G&G Decoy. He had an opportunity to see Nichols Park and commented on the Labor Day parade.gh2
“Tourism is one of our best tools for economic development,” Pinnell said. “We want to get people to stop in Henryetta and not just pass through. They can see how great the town is.”
lumch2He encouraged chamber of commerce members to meet with state tourism and Department of Commerce personnel in workshops and develop those plans. Brent Kisling is the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and Pinnell said the Enid native, “is a rural person sensitive to grown in rural Oklahoma.”
He said that department conducts workshops to help communities discover their strengths and develop them to get more people to stop here.
As a result of the COVID pandemic more people have elected to stay in Oklahoma and see what is available. “They are turning off their television because the news is depressing. Most people don’t know what is 30 minutes from their front door.”
Pinnell pointed out there are a lot of incentives for economic development and asked who does grant writing for the city. No one answered.
“We have tourism program water conservation grants available. Communities can fill out the application to help city parks and other projects.” Those grants range from $100,000 to $200,000 annually.
To develop the state economy Pinnell said the schools such as OSUIT and the career tech system is, “one of the best recruiting tools around the state.”
hospital1He predicted the aerospace and aviation industries can become the number one industry in the state. “Our defense industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Tinker can hire every engineer in the state and still need a thousand more.”
Pinnell told the group that it does take a local investment as well. “If you don’t invite people to Henryetta they won’t show up.”
One community that has taken that advice to heart is Broken Bow. Located in Southeastern Oklahoma, the community, according to Pinnell, spends $4 million in motel tax money every year to promote itself in the Dallas, Texas market. By contrast, the state’s entire tourism budget is only $5 million.