The city of Maricopa could see the fruits of a $10,000 investment in local tourism on May 6. The Maricopa City Council voted to give the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce $10,000 in July to develop a tourism strategy aimed at attracting outsiders to the city of Maricopa. The agency has since partnered with ASU professor Tim Tyrrell and his Tourism 402 class to complete the study. “Undergrads can do a good job, but not a great one, so I will shepherd them in this project,” Tyrrell said. During the next four months Tyrrell and his class will make multiple trips to the Maricopa area to gauge what the community has to offer in terms of attractions and history. This information will then be integrated into a glossy magazine-style publication that describes festivals in the community, history, tourist attractions and other items. “These types of studies can attract visitors and create jobs,” Tyrrell said. The ASU professor laid out a budget for the publication, which includes the printing of 150 to 500 copies, the hiring of an editor and a presentation luncheon with the council at the end of the process. Depending on the amount of copies necessary, the cost is estimated to be in the $7,500 to $9,500 range. “I would like to really showcase the value the city is getting through this partnership,” Councilman Carl Diedrich said. “People have no idea how much money we are saving.” Vice Mayor Brent Murphree agreed. “I am very glad to see we have engaged ASU to be a part of this process and would like to see more partnerships like this as we grow in the future. As we get old, the youngsters bring a lot of new dynamics to the table.”
Photo by Michael K. Rich |