By Staff
DOWAGIAC - Amtrak's new marketing efforts to promote its Blue Water Service from Port Huron to Chicago, with stops in Dowagiac and Niles, has led to a new partnership with the tourist bureaus and chambers of commerce located within each of the Michigan communities Amtrak services along the nine-city route.
Vickie Phillipson, program director of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority, said she is pleased a new marketing push by Amtrak will feature information on the Grand Old City, as it promotes the convenience of traveling by rail.
An $111,000 matching grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) this May will result in the production of a marketing brochure and 10 roadside billboards being situated along I-69 and I-94, promoting Amtrak's low fares for its Blue Water Service that travels through Dowagiac.
Phillipson encourages the public to ride the train for comfort, economy and hassle-free shopping, dining, attractions and summer events all along the line from Port Huron to Chicago.
The Blue Water Service, which starts in Port Huron, also includes stops in Lapeer, Flint, Durand, East Lansing, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Niles, before arriving at Chicago's Union Station.
As the brochure states, "Wherever you live along the line, safe and economical transportation is right at your doorstep."
Therese Cody, departmental analyst with rail passenger service for MDOT, said MDOT was able to provide the locally-matched grant to support the marketing effort, which is being coordinated by Flint Mass Transportation Authority with the image campaign produced by TS Jenkins and Associates advertising firm in Flint.
That city's transportation authority is also providing the 10-percent local match of $11,000 that was needed to fund the project.
By mid-May Amtrak and each of the nine Blue Water Service communities will begin distribution of 50,000 marketing brochures.
Phillipson said this summer's event and festival information was solicited from each of the communities and is spotlighted in the promotional piece.
In conjunction with the onset of the campaign, Union Station in Chicago will be the site of a Michigan Day on Wednesday, May 25, which spotlights the nine Blue Water Service communities.
Dawn Stableford, tourism director for the Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau who is coordinating that portion of the campaign, has made arrangements for the nine communities to have their marketing materials inserted into more than 1,000 visitors' bags, which will be distributed to travelers that day.
Amtrak is also making exhibit space at Union Station available to participating tourist bureaus and chambers of commerce, as well as tourist-related businesses that are located within the route communities.
Chicago's Union Station serves more than 100,000 travelers daily.
The Chamber's 2005 Event and Festival Brochure will be handed out that day, along with the DDA's downtown business guide, which features information on Dowagiac's specialty shops, and fine and casual dining.