Friday, September 17, 2004
Pennsylvania is now officially known as 'The State of Independence.'
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. -- Peggy Mazyck believes Pennsylvania should have a catchy tourist slogan that speaks to the pivotal role the state has played in American history.
"The State of Independence," the new slogan announced this week, does that, said Mazyck, executive director of the Mercer County Convention & amp; Visitors Bureau.
Mazyck joined other officials Thursday at the unveiling of the new slogan on a large sign welcoming travelers into Pennsylvania along Interstate 80 in Shenango Township.
The new slogan is "a very significant event for tourism," she said, noting that Mercer County alone gets more than six million tourists annually who spend $184 million dollars here.
That spending creates $200 million in positive economic impact, Mazyck said.
Pennsylvania gets about 117 million tourists annually who spend about $34 billion in the state, paying for more than 500,000 tourism-related jobs.
"We need to brand ourselves," to make the state recognizable to tourists, Mazyck said.
More than 15,000 people cross into Pennsylvania from Ohio on Interstate 80 each day, she said.
Her agency alone operates on a budget of $600,000 a year, she said.
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Sen. Bob Robbins of Greenville, R-50th, said changing the slogan is the prerogative of the governor and he supports any opportunity to promote Pennsylvania as a whole and western Pennsylvania in particular.
He noted that his personal favorite state slogan, "You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania," is no longer in use.
Mayor David O. Ryan of Sharon, on hand for the unveiling of the slogan, said tourism is important to his city although Sharon is located several miles off I-80. At one time, about 1,500 tour buses traveled into downtown Sharon every year to visit places like The Winner, Reyers, Daffin's Candies and the 3 By the River restaurant complex.
That tourism flow dropped off sharply after the Grove City Factory Shops opened on the other side of the county several years ago, but Sharon's attractions are still here and there's more to offer now.
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame & amp; Museum has been added to the list of possible tourist stops in the city, he said.
gwin@vindy.com