Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is more than a scenic memorial to a defining Civil War battle. It’s also the most-visited battlefield in the nation, a distinction that offers a window to Cobb County’s future economic development plans.
The travel and tourism sector is by far the county’s biggest economic driver, a $2 billion powerhouse that has a bigger financial footprint than the aerospace labs at the Lockheed Martin plant or the IT firms clustered around the Cumberland office hub.
And, as the county develops a new economic blueprint to shake off the recession’s aftermath, Cobb’s leaders are seeking new ways to leverage tourism.
They are planning a national marketing campaign focusing on Cobb, which they bill as Atlanta’s “sweet spot.” A task force has been formed to provide a link between tourism businesses, politicians and business leaders. The county is exploring the possibility of starting career academies at high schools to prepare students for jobs in the hospitality field. And officials are asking local colleges to develop more specific courses to train graduates for tourism gigs.
“We have all these resources that we haven’t marketed — not just to the Southeast but in our own backyard,” said Brooks Mathis, the vice president of economic development for Cobb’s chamber of commerce. “We really need to promote and provide that sense of place for people that live right there.
On first glance, it may not seem tourism has much of a calling card in Cobb beyond the Six Flags amusement and water parks that employ thousands. But state figures show the historical sites, charming city centers and other attractions that dot the county have helped make Cobb one of the state’s top tourism draws.
In all, visitors to Cobb spent more than $1.2 billion in 2010, the most recent figures available, more than every other metro Atlanta county but Fulton. That spending has helped pump $36 million in extra revenue into local coffers.
Cobb is by no means the only local government that views tourism as a ticket to its economic future. Atlanta’s powerful tourism industry welcomes about 35 million visitors each year, and towns such as Covington and Roswell trade on their historic districts to draw both day-trippers from out of town and metro Atlanta residents looking for something off the beaten path.
But experts say Cobb’s targeted approach to tourism and travel could provide a model for other suburban counties looking to build their industry.
“Fifteen years ago, tourism wasn’t even on the radar for economic development. Now you’re seeing a lot of counties in metro Atlanta developing those resources,” said Steve Morse, an economist and University of Tennessee professor who specializes in tourism.
There are plenty of reasons why. Cobb officials estimate the tourism industry supports some 30,000 jobs in the area, including higher-paid positions in marketing, printing, advertising and other sectors. And the tourism sector can be less volatile than other industries, such as manufacturing, that are subject to abrupt staffing changes.
“Tourism jobs will never be exported to another country,” said Morse.
Lockheed Martin’s decision last week to move about 560 employees from Marietta to Texas in an effort to cut costs only amplified those concerns.
Holly Bass, who heads Cobb’s tourism division, sees the industry as a welcome mat for the community. After all, she said, the amenities that lure tourists to Cobb are the same types of attractions that new businesses seek when they scout out a relocation.
“Businesses want to come to a place that is alive and is thriving in the areas of art, entertainment and culture,” she said. “That’s one of the things we’re able to provide.”
One of the main attractions is the Kennesaw park, a 3,000-acre shrine to a pivotal Civil War battle. Each weekend, it draws more 3,000 visitors who wander the trails, watch re-enactments or picnic. The site recently became the nation’s most-visited battlefield, surpassing the iconic Gettysburg. While the park has embraced its identity as Cobb’s de facto greenspace, Superintendent Nancy Walther said she also hopes visitors pick up a little history during their hike.
“It’s our job to remind them this was part of the Atlanta Campaign,” she said. “A major battle happened here. It’s our job to educate them why we are protecting their park.”
The battlefield hopes to draw a new influx of visitors as it commemorates the 150th anniversary of the battle. Workers plan to install more signs and new historical markers through the 17 miles of trails.
Some visitors confess mixed feelings about the tourism push.
Robert Glore, who visited the park recently with his son and other local scouts, said he had no idea the battlefield attracted so many visitors. He said he thinks the county could better promote the site, but another part of him wants to keep Kennesaw’s jewel a secret.
“It’s nice to know you have such an important historical resource right in your backyard,” Glore said.
