Brands

The Bristol brands as the home of Bristol Motor Speedway and the Birthplace of Country Music were discussed at the Strategic Economic Development Plan steering committee meeting Thursday night where all members agreed that building on those brands was important to the future economic growth of the city.

Lisa Meadows and Matt Bolas representing the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau; John Rainero, Leah Ross, and Edd Hill representing the Birthplace of Country Music; and Jerry Caldwell of Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway spoke about the importance of the hospitality and tourism industries and shared relevant information regarding tourism, the cultural heritage center project, and Bristol Motor Speedway and NASCAR.

Underscoring the discussion was the economic impact resulting from the tourism industry with over 1,000,000 motorsports fans and 250,000 music visitors visiting our city each year, and whether the community was fully capitalizing on the opportunities presented by such a huge influx of guests. 

With the passage of the meeting last night, the steering committee has now heard presentations from subject area experts in the areas of education, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and the hospitality and tourism industries.

Next up – special opportunities.