Erlanger’s City Council began the discussion of their proposed budget for 2025 Wednesday evening, where Councilman Tyson Hermes brought forward a project he called “Destination Erlanger.”
The idea, Hermes said in a presentation at the meeting, is a set of parks aimed at bringing more tourists and revenue to the city. It could show those people that the city is a place where they can establish businesses and families.
“The more people that visit Erlanger, or people like Erlanger, the more exposure we have usually results in more positive experiences inside Erlanger,” Hermes said. “The more positive experiences people have the more they want to be here and more businesses want to locate here.”
The councilman added that with new residents and businesses, the city could develop a more stable revenue growth. In his opinion, Hermes felt like family, work or school were some of the top reasons people travel to Erlanger. With notable destinations like these parks, he feels Erlanger could be put on the map for tourists.
One of the bigger features of the parks would be a 22-mile-long mountain bike trail connecting to other trails down to the Ohio River. Other proposed parks in the plan were an elevated canopy trail, a dog park, and a potential meeting space, museum or remote classroom visible from I-275.
President and CEO of meetNKY Julie Kirkpatrick said “Destination Erlanger” would be a world-class outdoor adventure unlike anything in the Northern Kentucky region.
Kirkpatrick said that Bentonville, Arkansas, created a similar catalyst in its community about two decades ago, and since then, its population has doubled. According to an impact study from the University of Arkansas, Bentonville’s population rose from about 20,000 to 55,000, with trails generating an economic impact of $137 million yearly and $59 million in tourist revenue.
“I must say the number one reason that I am in support of this, our Northern Kentucky Chambers is in support of this, that the OneNKY Alliance is in support of it, is because this is about talent,” Kirkpatrick said. “This is about bringing new people to our region. There is a population cliff coming and we want to keep business humming in this region.”
Hermes also said he aimed to solve the problem on the backside of Cherry Hill, where trucks are barred from entering. To make this area safer, he suggests the road be turned into a one-way street, with half of it for vehicles and the other half for bike and foot traffic.
One question posed by council member Diana Niceley was if there would be a need to hire more park workers and law enforcement officers due to the park’s size. Mayor Jessica Fette said the park will mostly be natural terrain with minimal maintenance needed. Niceley also questioned whether or not there was a need to hire more law enforcement officers since more tourists could lead to potential outbursts or fights. Fette also commented that, at the moment, that wasn’t a concern but that as the project changes and grows, they will reevaluate it.
There is no current date for reconvening the discussion about “Destination Erlanger.”