NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 8th, 2007

Lavern Squier, President and CEO, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce

785.865.4411 or lsquier@lawrencechamber.com

Joan Golden, Chairwoman, Chamber Board of Directors

785.865.0200 or joan.golden@usbank.com

Chamber Supports Local Heritage Area Initiatives

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, in keeping with the Chamber's Community Vision, places great emphasis and appreciation on our community's history and heritage, and our (Lawrence/Douglas County) symbiotic role in the region's growth and development through time.

The Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area designation serves as recognition of our role in the nation’s development.  Lawrence and Douglas County are part of the designated 41 counties in Eastern Kansas and Western Missouri.

This designation was sought after and earned by many. Locally, the supporting groups include Douglas County, the City of Lawrence, the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, and the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Individually, Judy Billings leads the list of energetic, visionary individuals who pursued this issue.  Judge Deanell Tacha heads the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area Board of Directors.

With this acknowledgement, it is time to evolve our local tourism promotion efforts to take a more comprehensive, integrated approach.

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce is poised to consider final action supporting this evolution to invest in our collective future by supporting the creation of an overarching tourism management entity to be known as Destination Management Inc.  Destination Management Inc. will be guided by a founding board comprised of individuals from the City of Lawrence, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Douglas County, and the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area.

The Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau will serve as the energizing entity, inclusive of management and staff, to advance this global approach.

The Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area mission will be an essential and integral part of the efforts performed by the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau and Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area staff. Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau staff will also continue current promotion efforts.

The City of Lawrence and the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce have collaborated contractually for 26+ years to operate and house the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In this innovative evolution to Destination Management, Inc., a new, common, physical location will be chosen for the entity’s operations. The establishment of a new office will be accomplished by Nov 1, 2007 due to the increasing developmental demands of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area.

As a founder and investor in this new, comprehensive approach to marketing, the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce aggressively continues to promote economic and community development for the benefit of our members and community at large.

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce advocates for business and community prosperity as it creates diverse jobs; cultivates a successful business environment; develops active community leaders; and promotes the assets of Lawrence and Douglas County.

###