Opinion » Local

Cedar Park a historic destination?

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by Don Moore, HCN

Could Cedar Park become a historical destination like, say, Charleston, S.C.?

Last week the Cedar Park Tourism Board had a joint meeting with the city council to discuss ways to make our city a place where people would like to vacation.

When I mention to people that I serve on the tourism board they usually ask me, “What tourists?”

Cedar Park has two tourism draws and neither mentions our town in the name. One is Lake Travis and the other is the Austin Steam Train. Any business in the RM 1431 and U.S. Highway 183 areas know about the steam train because people stop in every Saturday morning to ask for directions. The state highway department has plenty of signs pointing where Lake Travis is.

So what does a tourism board in Cedar Park do?

We recommend how the city should spend the tax dollars that hotels in the area take in. That would be Best Western, Holiday Inn Express and Comfort Inn, which generate $276,544 a year in tax revenue. All of our decisions are based on putting heads in beds. If you have an idea which will help bring people to stay overnight in Cedar Park, we may be able to help you.

It won't be long before we are a tourist attraction. The entertainment center will soon announce its groundbreaking. Plus, Cedar Park should soon announce a done deal on the upcoming water park. Now don't expect to see a mammoth park like the one in New Braunfels, but this park should be able to pull visitors from all over Williamson and counties to the north, giving visitors one more reason to come to town for a day, a night or a weekend.

The tourism board was also presented an idea about developing a type of historical venue that would attract visitors. This is a little bit tougher since we are still a relatively new city and building the city of the future may be easier than building one of the past.

We probably never will be a historical destination, but it won't be long until we become a destination.

Reader Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of .

Ralph wrote on Dec 6, 2007 8:36 AM:

" I would like to see a museum developed which would feature exhibits of the beautiful local farms, livestock, and wildlife which have been and are being stolen from their owners via eminent domain. An exhibit on the Williamson county politician, who has been a longtime silent partner in the purchase and ownership of land along the Ronald Reagan Boulevard (Parmer Lane) development corridor would be interesting. To hear the story of how this man then entered politics and somehow hoodwinked voters into placing him in office as a councilman in the precinct where his land is located would be a valuable educational tool for our voters. And as councilman, he took advantage of his political position to boost his personal wealth by strongly promoting road expansion and development alongside his properties. Certainly a bit of local history worth capturing and displaying for all to see. I believe he is no longer in office, but as an American I would like us to retain the right to "rock the Boat." Ah yes, educational tourism at it's finest IS possible. "

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