BentonCountyIssues.net
With the closing of more businesses in Camden, recently, as well as the rumor of yet another
plant closing, many are wondering how this may have an impact on Benton County as a whole.
Readers may remember an article written by Bill Kee of the Camden Chamber of Commerce back in
2003. Some of the thoughts brought out in the articles are worth a look at today.
Back in the
September 30, 2003 edition
of Kentucky Lake Times, Mr. Kee said in his Chamber News that the "Chamber is working
on several fronts to recruit industry as well as retail business to the community, but at
the same time, we are taking a hard look at the development of tourist attractions as well."
Some residents and business owners are asking, "Has the Chamber given up on their
responsibilities since September of 2003?", and "Are there any major new businesses, tourism
and general sales increases in Benton County since then?"
Kee goes on about how tourism is a "10.4 billion dollar industry in Tennessee and Benton
County is well positioned to take a slice of that pie." Most citizens of Benton County
agree that they have not eaten any of this pie yet, or even even seen a pie for that matter.
Kee then says, "Through greater development and promotion of local attractions, our
community could easily take advantage of that traffic by attracting vacationers and other
tourists who are already passing by to stop and take a look." What are they going to take
a look at? Empty buildings along the highway?
Kee goes over the top with his other comments, alluding to a possible million dollars for
the County, saying that with the attraction of visitors to Benton County "would undoubtedly
come the creation of new jobs, but the greater benefit would be the financial impact on the
local community." Then come all of the "hypothetical assumptions" about "the creation and
development of new attractions" in which he says "we are able to draw an additional 100 cars
per day from the Interstate. Let us also assume that the people in these cars spend on the
average $50.00 in Benton County before they leave. Over the course of the year, that equates
to an additional $1,825,000 to the local economy." Now that sounds great for Benton County!
But remember, Kee wrote the article almost two years ago!
Mr. Kee speaks about the "benefit of attracting tourists to Benton County and the tremendous
importance of the Chamber's efforts in this area."
What Benton County residents and business owners in general would like to know is, just
what are "the Chamber's efforts in this area"? If the Chamber actually took tourism and
business promotion seriously, and this means all businesses in Benton County, then we would
not have shops and restaurants closing their doors left and right. Mr. Kee has often said
that his "door is always open" but it appears that the doors to the County for new business,
including tourism and those "additional 100 cars per day from the Interstate", has been
closed or possibly ignored altogether.
Benton County needs a Chamber that is willing to work hard for the people that pay for the
salaries of the Chamber's officers in promoting not only the businesses of its own members
but also those throughout the County since it is the tax payers who provide funding for
the Chamber, which is supposed to be a non-profit organization. The people want officers
who are truly committed to the promotion of Benton County as a whole. It's time to stop
the hypothetical talk and time to get down to real business!
The people, the tax-payers, need a new Chamber of Commerce and people who know how to
operate it to help our beautiful Benton County before it's too late!
Click here to view the results
of a poll where readers were asked if whether or not they were satisfied with the current administration of the Chamber of
Commerce.
June 9, 2005. Submitted.
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