The Toccoa Record: Opinion

I have to respectfully disagree with the editorial of The Northeast Georgian by saying that the Visitors Center in Tallulah Falls would be an enormous plus to the region of Northeast Georgia.

U.S. HIghway 441 coming into Georgia from North Carolina is the only highway coming into Georgia from another State without a Visitors Center.

The idea of a Visitors Center in Tallulah Falls was birthed at the first joint Economic Development Committee meeting of the Georgia General Assembly held early on in my first term as senator.

This gathering took place at the Interpretive Center at

the Tallulah Gorge State Park. All those present and several tourism experts considered Tallulah Falls as a perfect spot for a Visitors Center.

It would showcase the Tallulah Gorge, one of Georgia’s Seven Wonders, and the other treasures across the region.

This would create an area where visitors would not just drive through, but spend the day, stay two or three days or longer.

This week I just returned from LaGrange from a joint Economic Development Committee meeting.

While there the director of the Visitors Center in West Point spoke of what that center has meant to their area. The West Georgia Visitors Center has been highly successful in pointing visitors all around that region. There are those who claim the only reason I have worked to get a Visitors Center in Tallulah Falls is because of my daughter and son-in-law’s restaurant, Isabelle’s, located in Tallulah Falls.

My children live

or work in four different counties in the district. Does that mean I should do nothing in those four counties?

Of course the restaurant could benefit, but so would

the Arts Center, the Tallulah Gorge State Park, the Grill-Restaurant and the Town of Tallulah Falls and indeed all of Northeast Georgia’s tourist industry.

As for the loss of revenue argument, the proposed property will not affect the tax revenue for the city since the property was already owned by the State.

This proposed regional Visitors Center would direct tourists over to the state park and all over the Northeast Georgia region.

Questions about the Visitors Center have been turned into conflict by those who promote criticism without knowing the truth or the background.

Yes, the governor vetoed the Visitors Center for the second time, but he also vetoed many other projects.

This does not mean the Visitors Center is not a good idea. It just means we need to work harder to get it.

Tourism is a key component of the regional economic development in our region.

It brings in dollars and creates jobs and Northeast Georgia needs both! Even The Northeast Georgian should agree with this.

Stephens County and White County both have an interest in joining Habersham and Rabun counties in operating the Visitors Center.

There will be space leased for exhibits and promotions. There is to be a gift shop and an observation tower from which to see the gorge and carts to rent to go out on a pathway under the bridge and around the gorge from the roadside.

This will be especially good for those who are handicapped.

All of this will enhance our awesome state park, which also endured criticism before it was built.

The Visitors Center will showcase the Park and all of Northeast Georgia. Yes, it has taken us two years to get the Visitors Center to this point and it may take two more years to get it built, but it will be worth it.

These are difficult days. Gas is too high and food is too high. Many in our district and region are suffering.

We must do all we can to promote prosperity and jobs and plan for our future and our children’s future.

(Nancy Schaefer represents the 50th District in the State Senate.)