National Geographic has released its newest geotoursim map guide, which features the Greater
Yellowstone Region. On that map lies a yet-to-be-built Greater Yellowstone Geotourism Center in Driggs. This gives Driggs a tourism endorsement from National Geographic that’s “worth its weight in gold,” said Chamber of Commerce President Reid Rogers, who is spearheading the initiative.
The map effort sparked an initiative by Rogers to establish a geotoursim center in Driggs. And though the center is on the map, it could be sometime before an actual building exists. Rogers explained that the Teton Scenic Byway Committee had similar goals to that of the geotourism map project. The byway committee, of which Rogers is a member, has received federal grant money for a gateway center for eastern Idaho. Since the project had similar goals, Rogers approached National Geographic and they agreed to endorse the project if they called it a regional center. Rogers said as far as actual construction of the building, National Geographic wouldn’t be responsible, but would provide several indoor exhibits such as an interactive Web station, a 3-D map of the Tetons and life-size maps and descriptions of geotourism.
But getting the actual building has several hurdles. Rogers said they are waiting to hear if they’ll receive grant money for a Community Development Block Grant. Part of that grant would provide money for some infrastructure needs that could potentially tear apart ground in front of the current city center. Rogers said they are also working with the Idaho Department of Transportation which is eligible for some funds to improve Highway 33 in 2011. Rogers said it would make sense to coordinate all those projects since they are nearly in the same spot. But now that the geotourism center is on the map, there “is more incentive to hurry,” he said. He said he hopes to possibly start construction by this fall.
Yellowstone Region. On that map lies a yet-to-be-built Greater Yellowstone Geotourism Center in Driggs. This gives Driggs a tourism endorsement from National Geographic that’s “worth its weight in gold,” said Chamber of Commerce President Reid Rogers, who is spearheading the initiative.
The map effort sparked an initiative by Rogers to establish a geotoursim center in Driggs. And though the center is on the map, it could be sometime before an actual building exists. Rogers explained that the Teton Scenic Byway Committee had similar goals to that of the geotourism map project. The byway committee, of which Rogers is a member, has received federal grant money for a gateway center for eastern Idaho. Since the project had similar goals, Rogers approached National Geographic and they agreed to endorse the project if they called it a regional center. Rogers said as far as actual construction of the building, National Geographic wouldn’t be responsible, but would provide several indoor exhibits such as an interactive Web station, a 3-D map of the Tetons and life-size maps and descriptions of geotourism.
But getting the actual building has several hurdles. Rogers said they are waiting to hear if they’ll receive grant money for a Community Development Block Grant. Part of that grant would provide money for some infrastructure needs that could potentially tear apart ground in front of the current city center. Rogers said they are also working with the Idaho Department of Transportation which is eligible for some funds to improve Highway 33 in 2011. Rogers said it would make sense to coordinate all those projects since they are nearly in the same spot. But now that the geotourism center is on the map, there “is more incentive to hurry,” he said. He said he hopes to possibly start construction by this fall.
Information courtesy of Rachael Horne, Teton Valley News.
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