Recent Press
Road trippin' in Rapid City
Consultant recommends Great American Road Trip as branding theme for city, region.
Scott Aust, Journal staff
Monday, April 21, 2008
Rapid City should cement itself in the nation's psyche as the cultural centerpiece of the "great American Road Trip," tourism marketing expert Roger Brooks said Monday. “Once you come here, everything you do is a road trip. Even when you fly in, you rent a car. We hope when people get off the plane, there’s a sign saying ‘Your road trip starts right here,’” he said.
Brooks believes Rapid City suffers from a lack of brand identity.
He said that, when mentioning Hershey, Penn., or Nashville, Tenn., most people think “chocolate” and “country music capital.”
It’s more difficult to play word association with Rapid City.
That’s because Rapid City currently doesn’t have that one thing that sets it apart in the public’s mind, according to Brooks.
“There’s no reason why Rapid City and this area shouldn’t be one of those areas you must see in at some point in your lifetime,” Brooks told a gathering of about 150 interested business and community members Monday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
Brooks was hired by the Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau and local businesses to help the city create a brand that sets it apart from the crowd. On Monday, Brooks presented his final list of recommendations and said a brand is not simply a logo or slogan, it’s something that comes to mind when people think of you that sets you apart from everyone else.
Brooks believes Rapid City could market its downtown as the cultural centerpiece of the area, but first, the city needs to create things to do, places to eat and shop and be entertained downtown so it can become a destination in itself.
“That’s the perception we want to plant in people’s minds,” Brooks said. “I didn’t say you’re there yet. That’s what we’re working toward, that’s the goal. You never roll out a brand; you have to earn it.”
The top experience visitors seek is shopping, eating and entertainment in a pedestrian friendly setting, Brooks said. Currently, Rapid City is like the hole in the donut with lots of things to do around it, but not much in the middle, he said.
“What we’re trying to do is fill that hole, so you’re not just a hub where people spend the night,” he said. “You have some of the grandest, most spectacular landscapes and monuments in the world, and you need to cement that position that you 'own' it.”
Brooks presented a list of 21 recommendations geared toward helping Rapid City become a destination. He said the city should immediately start associating itself with Mount Rushmore National Memorial while it works over the next five years to recreate downtown as a cultural destination.
Downtown should become a pedestrian friendly place with things to see and do during the day, evening and late night with a retail mix that appeals to local residents as well as tourists.
Brooks said one idea, just a concept at this point, is to develop a downtown fountain plaza district with a large fountain or water display that would be used for concerts, events, activities and a place for the community to gather.
John Brewer, said a group of about 20 downtown business leaders agree with Brooks’ ideas, and have formed Destination Rapid City, a nonprofit economic development corporation. The group feels a water feature “of iconic proportion” would invite people to enjoy events and festivals, open air markets and family activities and, together with an entertainment district, would help downtown become a destination.
“This is going to be a ‘must see, can’t miss’ addition, a gathering place for families, visitors, events and festivals in downtown Rapid City,” Brewer said.
Brewer said dedication to that vision has resulted in private gifts totaling more than $1 million toward the fundraising effort for the project. He said the group will partner with the Chamber of Commerce and the city in the near future to develop a project plan and begin fundraising.
In addition, Destination Rapid City intends to start work immediately on a proposal to build a pedestrian bridge over Omaha Street to connect downtown to Memorial Park, the civic center and the Holiday Inn.
“This necessary bridge will make a link that is safe, will appear inviting to anybody on either side, and will have an economic reward for both sides,” he said.
