Leaders hopeful new outdoor initiative can be windfall for Walker County, Georgia

Cody McCutcheon paddles along the West Chickamauga Creek at Lee & Gordon's Mill on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 in Chickamauga, Ga. Walker County announced their "Walker Rocks" marketing initiative at the mill. The initiative is designed to promote the outdoor actives available in Walker County.
Cody McCutcheon paddles along the West Chickamauga Creek at Lee & Gordon's Mill on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 in Chickamauga, Ga. Walker County announced their "Walker Rocks" marketing initiative at the mill. The initiative is designed to promote the outdoor actives available in Walker County.

Walker County rocks, county leaders say, and they want to make sure everyone knows.

Northwest Georgia is home to renowned caving and a plethora of outdoor recreational opportunities nestled in the scenic foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. And in an effort to spread the word and capitalize on those opportunities - often seen as under-utilized - the county has launched a new marketing campaign called Walker Rocks.

"It's a natural fit," Walker County Chamber of Commerce President Lacey Wilson said. "We have people coming from all over the country, passing through and coming to visit the caves and the trails and coming to ride their bikes. It's a natural shift for us to promote what's already been organically happening here in Walker County."

The campaign is a long-term coordinated effort by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, county government and its cities, said Robert Wardlaw, the county's economic and community development director. It's a campaign Wardlaw and other officials believe could be a windfall that will help the county recover from a difficult financial situation.

Walker County was $62 million in debt as of September 2017 and has raised its property taxes to try to offset some of that debt. However, property taxes now make up a disproportionate amount of the county's revenue, county spokesman Joe Legge said, and the hope is that increased revenue from sales tax at restaurants and stores will help offset some of the burden.

"From the county's standpoint, this gives us the opportunity to really capitalize on what's already here," Legge said. "We don't have to spend money to build some sort of attraction because these attractions, these outdoors adventures, are here."

The initiative - walkerrocks.com - connects users to the outdoors. The site lists opportunities like cycling, caving, disc golf and other activities and gives information about where to go, what to know and, in some cases, connects users to local companies. The site is also beginner-friendly. It's geared at marketing the outdoors to a wide range of skill levels. For example, beginning kayakers can rent equipment from local company Battlefield Outdoors and have a staff member meet them with the equipment and pick them up at the end of the trip to shuttle them back to their vehicles.

"Really, we're happy to be part of an effort to let people know how great this area is from our natural resources that we have here," Battlefield Outdoors owner David Bridges said. "I honestly believe Northwest Georgia and this Chattanooga region can be the outdoor destination of the east coast. I don't think there's anything else that compares to it."

The county is also hoping to lure new businesses. Peach State Financial Credit Union and the chamber of commerce are partnering to incentivize an outdoors-oriented business to move to the county. The organizations each agreed to give $2,500 toward a grant that will go to a company moving to Walker County. Perspective companies will give in September what Legge called a "Shark Tank"-style pitch about their businesses, resembling the popular television show.

Contact staff writer Mark Pace at mpace@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659. Follow him on Twitter @themarkpace and on Facebook at ChattanoogaOutdoorsTFP.

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