The Manassas Welcome Center, located at a car rest area on Interstate 66 about six miles outside of the city, won’t reopen following the coronavirus pandemic.
Manassas City received notice on May 29 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) that the center would be shut down and the building will be converted to a rest area only as a result of budgetary considerations by the VTC.
Of the 12 in the state, this is the only welcome center slated for closure. The Manassas Welcome Center has been closed since March 14 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Manassas Welcome Center is owned and operated by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and staffed by VTC employees. It has been a key component of the city’s tourism efforts and it’s believed that its closing will have a negative impact on the city’s Historic Downtown as well as on hospitality-related businesses throughout the city, officials penned in an email about the closure.
VTC says the closure will save the state as much a $130,000 annually. Would-be visitors to Manassas will continue to be served by another welcome center on I-95 in Fredericksburg, VTC says.
The former welcome center near Manassas provided information to travelers who are visiting the Manassas National Battlefield Park, travelers who want a break during a trip, and people whose travel destination is in or near the city, Manassas officials said. The center was a boon for local business, they added.
The welcome center staff from Manassas will be relocated to other centers in the state. Two full-time staff members will now work from the Clear Brook Welcome Center on I-81 near Winchester. One of the two full-time staff re-located to Clear Brook was already working half-time at Clear Brook.
The city calls those who will be transferred “…highly trained tourism professionals…taking their valuable knowledge of the city further from our Historic Downtown and Citywide events and attractions. We are grateful to these VTC staff members for everything they have done for Manassas, our residents and the business community.”
The city press release also stated that the staff individually stayed abreast of the city’s activities and regularly visit local businesses to collect information they share with travelers. The three people who staff the Welcome Center are all City residents and the Director serves as a volunteer on the Historic Manassas Inc. Board of Directors.
Economic Development staff has spoken with the President and CEO of VTC and was informed the state’s decision was made at the Secretariat level and that neither the city, local legislators were consulted prior to the decision being made.
The Department of Economic Development spends $7,200 annually to run an enhanced marketing and advertising campaign in the Welcome Center, which has supported its operations for the past several years. Historic Manassas Inc. and many city businesses take advantage of this and it is a significant component of their individual marketing efforts.
City staff is continuing to evaluate what action, if any, the city can take regarding the issue or what additional marketing measures will now need to be put in place to counter the impact of this decision.
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June 07, 2020 at 10:29AM
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Manassas I-66 Welcome Center closing - PotomacLocal.com
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