It's Official!
El Dorado Hills Chamber Acquires California Welcome Center!

EL DORADO HILLS - Large blue freeway signs will soon go up on Highway 50 announcing a new California Welcome Center, coming soon to El Dorado Hills Town Center next to Cold Stone Creamery.

It may seem odd to welcome visitors to California in the middle of the state, rather than the edges, where they typically arrive. But the 14 current Welcome Centers scattered around the state, many of which are not at the portals, do a good job of promoting their regions, and also the entire state.

Their success is due largely to generous freeway signage which, state tourism officials say, will help pull more than 15,000 visitors per year off Highway 50 and into El Dorado Hills. Those visitors will eventually spend between $1.2 and $2 million in the county - and a full 10 percent will return to the county based on what they learned during their initial visit.

The Welcome Centers provide information on attractions throughout the state, but emphasize the immediate areas by promoting places to stay and things to do. El Dorado County has plenty of both.

Debbie Manning with the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce called the visitor center a "focal point for marketing the west gate of the county," and emphasized that although it should provide a healthy shot in the arm for Town Center, the benefits will be felt countywide.

The project began as a simple request from Manning to local Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, D-El Dorado Hills, for help putting a visitor information sign on the freeway. Huber's Communications Director Sam Donovan checked into the situation and reported back that Highway 50 had surpassed its visitor information sign limit, but suggested an alternate approach.

"Sam asked if we'd thought about opening a Welcome Center," said Manning. "I'd honestly never considered it."

Manning reviewed the California Visitor Center program, and said she quickly realized the potential, as did Town Center chief Tony Mansour and county Economic Development Officer Sam Driggers.

Manning and Mansour wowed state officials during an on-site visit in early October. A convincing proposal by local marketing maven John Poimeroo didn't hurt. Poimeroo had an inside line on what the site inspection committee was looking for. As state tourism director in the 1990s, he created the Welcome Center program.

"How fortuitous is that?" Manning wondered. "To have the guy that created the thing living right here just demonstrates the kinds of untapped resources there are in this community."

Another prominent community resource, Mansour, showed up with checkbook in hand. "Without Tony this wouldn't have happened," said Manning.

Mansour committed to funding an estimated $150,000 annual operating budget for the first five years, plus another $51,000 in start-up costs. The county also chipped in $56,000 to get the ball rolling.

"We're making a five-year commitment to this," said Mansour. "That's roughly a half-million in rent concessions."

Sales of sponsorships should help offset the expenses.

The five-year franchise agreement comes with an annual $5,000 price tag. More importantly, the applicant must demonstrate and fund a suitable location. "We think the Town Center location is perfect," said Manning, who plans to move her chamber in with the new visitor's center. The entire operation will operate under chamber staff supervision.

Pending Caltrans approval, freeway signs will be posted 15 miles east and west of El Dorado Hills, with secondary signage at East Bidwell, Bass Lake Road and at El Dorado Hills Boulevard.

Inside, a trained concierge, aided by interpretive video panels will guide visitors to area attractions. A giant mural will portray the entire region, targeting specific destinations.

The franchise package includes an attractive Web presence and a prominent spot in the California Visitors Guide.

"There's so much cool stuff to do in this county that people just don't know about," said Manning. "There are lots of people right here in El Dorado Hills that have no idea what all's east of here."

Mansour's not one of them. "I've been here 30 years now, and I enjoy everything this county has to offer," said the Town Center magnate. "I've driven every inch of Highway 49 and especially love the wineries in Somerset."

Mansour confessed a soft spot for "Poor Red's" bar and grill in El Dorado. "You're not going to find any place like that anywhere" he said. "I've taken so many people there over the years."

The Welcome Center is just one element of Town Center's ongoing evolution, said Mansour, who is proud to see his dream reaching fruition, even in a stagnant economy.

The 130-unit Chateau du Lac hotel planned to open next year will include a conference center and a Mikuni's Japanese restaurant, all of which will benefit from the Welcome Center, as will Fireside Burgers, scheduled to open Thanksgiving weekend across the plaza.

Poimeroo thinks the 15,000 annual visitor estimate is conservative. Welcome Centers in relatively out of the way locations such as Barstow, Merced and Anderson attracted between 23,000 and 164,000 visitors in 2008. High traffic areas scored much better; Pismo Beach: 330,000; San Francisco: 274,000.

Mansour said he thinks he'll see a lot of locals in the Welcome Center. California Travel and Tourism Commission research found that one in five groups visiting a California Welcome Center included a local resident.

"This is a great thing for the state, the county and the Town Center merchants," said Mansour. "This county has a rich history, wonderful agritourism, delightful wineries, beautiful rivers and of course Lake Tahoe. It's all been undersold to travelers on Highway 50. It's a win/win."

Manning hopes to get the Welcome Center open sometime in spring 2010.

This story was published in the Monday, November 16, 2009 Mountain Democrat Newspaper, written by Mike Roberts.

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