The Columbus Area Visitors Center held it’s annual meeting Wednesday afternoon. Karen Niverson, executive director of the visitors center, says there were many highlights in 2016. A big one, she says, is sports tourism.
The annual report says that sporting events hosted locally in 2016 were up nearly 15-percent over the previous year. That led to a total estimated economic impact of $16 million.
Niverson also touched on another project coming this year, related to the life of the late philanthropist J. Irwin Miller.
Niverson says that exhibit, done in cooperation with Cummins, will take attendees on a tour of Miller’s office, just as it was when he utilized it. It will also have educational panels and displays to help illustrate portions of Miller’s life and work. She estimates that a ribbon-cutting ceremony for this exhibit will be held next month.
Wednesday’s annual report highlighted the importance of tourism in and around Columbus.