DGM Association, the non-profit group raising funds for longterm exhibits at Delta Gateway Museum in downtown Blytheville, reports that the organization recently received a $5,000 donation from Nucor-Yamato Steel Corporation.
"We are very grateful to Nucor-Yamato for supporting the effort to establish a professional museum in Blytheville," said the museum's founding director, Leslie Hester. "Nucor has been a consistent supporter of the museum project, I think because they realize the potential economic benefit of having a high-quality museum downtown."
Research done by Hester and by the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce shows that museums are among the top five tourist attractions nationwide. Tourism is the third largest industry in Arkansas, returning an average of $7 for every $1 invested in tourism attractions by local communities.
"Museums are proven economic catalysts that can help bring new businesses and boost retail sales and tax revenue, but only if our community gets behind the project to make it happen," Hester said.
She pointed to other Delta communities that chose to establish museums and cultural sites. The Heritage Sites program at Arkansas State University reports, for example, that the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum in Piggott spurred 18 new tourism-related businesses in Clay County within the first two years.
The Southern Tenant Farmers Museum in Tyronza generated a 10 percent increase in Poinsett County's tourism-related payroll in the first year. And the Lakeport Plantation museum in Lake Village generated a 6.3 percent increase in tourism-related revenue for Chicot County in the first year.
According to national travel statistics, cultural heritage tourists tend to be more mature people with disposable income who travel for fun and have the time to stop and learn about new places along the way. They tend to stay longer and spend more money in local communities than other types of travelers.
"Imagine the impact that high-quality, long term exhibits would have on our ability to attract tourism dollars to Blytheville. It makes sense to support museum development," Hester said.
For more information about the Delta Gateway Museum, email Hester at lhester43@yahoo.com, call 870-824-2346 or visit www.deltagatewaymuseum.org.