Area tourism officials are bowling for dollars

Potentially thousands of strikes and spares will provide even more ammunition for those who argue that tourism is an important cylinder in the region’s economic engine.

Officials with the Southern Bowling Congress will bring their March/April 2012 national tournament and more than 5,200 participants to Fort Smith. The tournament will result in an estimated economic impact of more than $4.25 million, according to the Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Southern Bowling Congress is a member of the United States Bowling Congress, and is comprised of a confederation of nine southern states that manage and host an annual tournament, according to the organization’s Web site. The group, which works to fund youth scholarships, has been active since 1920 with a short break during World War II.

Claude Legris, executive director of Fort Smith CVB, credited the work of Carolyn Joyce, a CVB employee, and Juanita and Roy Culverson with the Fort Smith Bowling Association for recruiting the large national tournament back to Fort Smith. The tournament as last held in Fort Smith in 2006.

Joyce, who portrays Miss Laura, recently traveled to Mobile, Ala., to compete against other cities for the 2012 tournament. The proposal by the Culversons and Joyce’s presentation — which used a video of downtown Fort Smith recently produced by the city’s “Go Downtown” project — “won the day,” Legris said.

The CVB expects (based on the 2006 figures) more than 5,200 bowlers to invade in 2010 for a five-week period in March and April. With an average per day expense of a tourism calculated at $271 (figure from the Arkansas Parks & Tourism Department), the direct economic impact is estimated to be $1.419 million. A rollover multiplier of three then puts the total economic impact at more than $4.257 million.

If the Jehovah’s Witness convention returns in 2012, the city’s hotels and Fort Smith Convention Center would be busy.

“We could potentially have 10 weekends booked solid,” Legris said. “Both Bowling World and Midland Bowl will be full for this tournament, not to mention restaurants, clubs and hotels.”

The regional hospitality sector could use 10 solid weekends.

For all of 2009, Van Buren collected $381,372 in hospitality taxes, down 7.1% compared to 2008. Hospitality tax collections for Van Buren in 2008 totaled $410,914, up 7.4% over 2007 and up more than 14.5% over 2006. Van Buren collects a 1% tax on lodging and restaurants.

For 2009, Fort Smith hospitality tax collections totaled $671,912, down more than 16% from 2008. Fort Smith hospitality tax collections in 2008 totaled $803,591, 11% more than the $723,548 collected in 2007, and more than 19% above 2006 collections. Fort Smith hospitality taxes are collected from a 3% tax on hotel room rates.