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Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.--------------------
Nov 20, 2008, 04:26:38 PM
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News: You must register and login to see all the boards and discussions.
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Author
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Topic: Haywood Tourism Study (Read 2396 times)
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LaneDEA |
I don't think the mill effects tourism at all. Haywood County is vast, and the mill is in one small part of the county as a whole. Now I'm sure some tourists decide not to visit Canton because of the mill. That's their decision, but overall I don't think it makes much difference.
Whether it's good or bad, who knows. Still if people want to visit Haywood County, it's just as easy to ignore or accept it as the way it is.
UPDATE: I was "informed" by someone of some importance in Haywood County yesterday that I "should not be asking this question" and that "the people will backlash against you for even putting the mill in this position". Excuse me? "Putting the mill in this position?" What position would that be? Somehow I missed the memo that said only certain items are aloud to be discussed in Haywood County.
Rest assured this someone of some importance isn't speaking for us all. If he/she was of any importance at all, they would understand that we have lived with the mill for quite some time, and aren't too worried about it going anywhere soon. I suspect that whomever informed you there might be some backlash is someone that realizes people who work there are very defensive of their jobs - I understand that and can see why. Doesn't mean however we can't have a discussion about it.
Here are examples of a couple of comments I got yesterday on my questions: 1) There will never be strong tourism as long as there is a dark, smelly cloud hanging over Canton.
Well, I don't agree there. Most of the time there isn't a cloud at all, and even when there is it isn't dark. Smell? Well, that depends on where you are at the time and the weather conditions. If there is high humidity on a low level, you'll smell it. It's definitely not as abysmal as some people make it out though. I work about two miles away from the mill, and hardly ever smell it. I know it's not THAT bad. As I said before, people either accept it or ignore it.
2) Tourists only come a couple months out of the year, the mill employs people all year long. 3) The mill is much more important to us than whether outsiders like the smell or not. I think it's good that we have it and keep it.
Agreed there, but still I don't think it effects real tourism at all. I've met tourists that stay on Crabtree Mountain which is in full view of the mill in most places facing. Where our tourists usually go in Haywood County though is the Maggie Valley and Waynesville area - Far away so to speak from Canton.
Now... please explain to me why it might be that "a person of importance" in Haywood County would not want residents/taxpayers to have the chance to address this matter openly - pro or con?
PS: Me thinks some will have much trouble with the FACT tha "Take A Stand!" is in town and that regular working people will be given the same respect AND VOICE as the "people of importance".
Could be right. We'll see. What will be most interesting to see is if people do come in to this discussion and defend the mill, and say why they defend it. One thing I hope they realize is that it needs no defense at all. With the amount of tourists I've seen especially in my work the last three or so years, I hope they realize that the mill being there makes little difference.
One other thing I want to mention as well. One of my personal favorite vacation places is coastal Georgia. I've been there several times, and you wanna talk about paper mills. Well, it's full of them. Twice now I've been to Cumberland Island (which is a National Park and Seashore), vastly undeveloped. It has one paper mill within a mile, and several others off in the distance. Still everytime I go there I'm one of many tourists, and each time I've met people from several different states. I'm thinking paper mills get a bad wrap in most cases. Because sometimes they smell bad, and sometimes they are an eye sore. It's hard for me to believe that Blue Ridge Paper is making any negative impact on Haywood County tourism. (:
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Logged
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 Bind all of us togather, a place for hope and free.
No storm or heavy weather will the boat you'll see.
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JoLynn |
I am going to agree with DEA.
The mill should not have any impact on Haywood County Tourism.
Five years ago, before my family and I moved WNC, we would take mini vacations out here on a regular basis.
We would research a new town on the internet, make reservations and come visit almost once a month. We never even knew about the mill until after we moved here.
All those trips and we never smelled it or saw it. In fact, it was an article in the local newspaper that even brought our attention to it.
I would like to know how much the tourism study will cost Haywood County taxpayers.
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Logged
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“One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests.” ~Peter Marshall
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LaneDEA |
I would like to know how much the tourism study will cost Haywood County taxpayers.
Indeedi. That is a question we should be most interested in.
I live in Coastal Georgia,
That actually tickles me to death. If you don't mind me asking, what town? I love coastal Georgia. Only real towns I've been able to see are St. Marys, Kingsland, some of Brunswick, and I actually got lost in Darien one time looking for a Burger King, heh. (: I've been to Cumberland Island, Jekyll Island. Probably will try and fit Tybee in next time I go.
I'll get back on topic now.
I'd love to have a few more people chiming in, but I still believe it's going to be the general consensus. The caller that attributes a black cloud over Canton is simply not paying attention to the sky. We had a very low fog this morning in Canton before I left work. I didn't smell a thing. And this is usually when you can get a hint of the mill smell - Heavy low humidity.
Many years ago the mill (called Champion Paper International at the time) had a very nasty lawsuit that in part was to clean up the water in the Pigeon River. With that lawsuit, they were also obligated to clean up the aerial waste spitting out of the smokestacks. They spent millions of dollars revamping the mill to the standards they agreed to.
I'll say again, the mill doesn't smell bad. A wind in the right direction, you may get a good hint of it. Nevertheless, there is no way it would effect any tourism to the area.
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Logged
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Bind all of us togather, a place for hope and free.
No storm or heavy weather will the boat you'll see.
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marshy |
DEA.....
I do not mind at all if you wanted to tour around the city and you contacted me. I love showing people around or even just helping them with suggestions.
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Logged
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?? Sometimes I'm amazed at the self-protective ways of people who are supposed to be working for the people's best interest. 
