Macon, Ocmulgee Mounds earn national recognition

MACON, Ga. — Just after appearances on “Jeopardy!” and CBS Mornings this yr, Macon is after all over again in the national spotlight.

Well-known journey journal Conde Nast Traveler termed it a person of the most effective destinations to vacation in 2023. Gary Wheat with Stop by Macon expects it’s going to have a major impact on tourism.

“Individuals journey guides are things that individuals by the tens of millions look at,” Wheat mentioned.

That is why this calendar year, it was Check out Macon’s objective to get vacation writers to town.

“To be on the internet and showcased with a good deal of great locations about the entire world not just in The usa but all over the entire world, is rather an honor, and one particular that we do not choose evenly,” Wheat reported.

He claims a revitalized downtown and increasing songs society help Macon stand out. The nightlife and Ocmulgee Mounds Nationwide Historical Park assistance also. The park is the matter of the newest countrywide headline from Conde Nast Traveler. The spotlight arrives just months following Macon-Bibb commissioners made a decision to purchase the web page of the aged Bibb Mill to establish the region close to the park.

“I feel it’s vital, for the reason that that’s a gateway into our group and a significant gateway into our tourism assets, no matter whether that’s in east Macon at Ocmulgee, or the downtown corridor where by a large amount of our points of interest reside,” Wheat explained.

He claims it will get ready Macon for an influx of vacationers if the park will become an formal nationwide park.

“By the year 2030, if we go to a countrywide park and preserve, we can be expecting in excess of a million website visitors a year to the park,” Wheat reported.

Now, about 200,000 go to the park each and every 12 months. Wheat says the maximize is why there are ideas for a new hotel in the progress. They plan to increase RV plenty, too.

“You need nice RV points of interest to carry them in and give them a location for the reason that they are RVers,” Wheat reported.

That’s not all. He claims they may well also involve a tribute to Macon’s background.

“As we enter the bicentennial yr, we’re operating with the bicentennial committee on that, what that appears to be like like,” he stated.

Wheat says they may well have to get artistic with resort place and glimpse at other regions of Macon to account for the increase in travelers. He states they may well even think about re-purposing previous downtown buildings.

County spokesman Chris Floore states they are nevertheless planning to purchase the Bibb Mill house, but they are in the ‘due diligence’ approach now. As soon as they complete that, they will entire the invest in and satisfy with builders to get started on a more concrete program.