In preparation for the opening of the Burlington Northern Depot next spring, several Wadena groups have begun discussing how to work together to operate a visitor center.
Some in the group were concerned about duplication of services between the Wadena Area Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitor's Bureau and Partners for a Healthy Wadena Region. Representatives from each of these groups met on Oct. 29 to discuss this as well as hospitality development in Wadena.
Additional representatives from the Wadena County Historical Society, Wadena County Park Department, Wadena Development Authority, Wadena County, City of Wadena, Village Emporium and Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative were at the meeting to discuss possible roles in the Depot.
Partners would like to operate the Depot as a visitor/guest portal/visitor center. Del Moen, chairman of the Partners for a Healthy Wadena Region board, was interested in formalizing a hospitality task force to meet regularly.
Money was an underlying issue in the discussion. There is a finite amount of money, several people echoed at the meeting.
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The outcome of the meeting was to invite representatives from the University of Minnesota Tourism Center to a meeting to learn more about hospitality development and industries and how this could work in Wadena.
In an interview, Moen discussed hospitality and the idea of the Depot visitor center in more detail.
"The idea is to provide hospitality," he said. "To treat people like guests."
Moen referenced the North Platte, Neb., canteen during World War II. Nearly 6,000 soldiers were served as they came through the canteen. When he thinks of hospitality now and about tourism, he thinks of this story.
"To me, that's an example of what hospitality is," he said.
Jamie Robertson, secretary of the Partners for a Healthy Wadena Region board, said it's good that people are meeting and beginning to discuss the hospitality aspect of the Depot.
Volunteers will be key in making the visitor center work, Robertson said. Having volunteers is "going to be the only way to make it," he explained.
The Depot should be open around Memorial Day in 2008, Robertson said.
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Another part of the discussion, in addition to hospitality, is to work together between groups to make Wadena a destination, Moen said. Many people already come to Wadena for specific events such as MS Tram or the Colgate Country Showdown, he said, but Moen would like to see people come to Wadena anytime because it is a destination, not just for an event.
Another future discussion will need to be about organizations in Wadena working with nearby communities to create a regional tourist attraction, Robertson said. But, he admits, it's hard for people to think about working with the competition. He feels it is a necessity in this rural area of Minnesota, though.
The next step will be for representatives from different organizations in Wadena to meet with the University of Minnesota Tourism Center. A date hasn't been scheduled yet.
The Depot Fund Drive for $144,000 is 91 percent complete, with $131,026 contributed in cash or pledges, according to a depot fund-raising report.
