LETTER: Grand Island’s hospitality made visitors feel welcomed

Last week our community was host to the National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational and you all rolled out the welcome mat in truly ’grand' fashion.  Competitors representing 29 states, their families and coaches started arriving last Saturday, June 21st, although actual competition did not start until Tuesday, June 24th.  Throughout the course of the week I , bureau staff, and the invitational organizers had many opportunities to interact with our visitors.  Time, after time, after time we were told how welcome they had felt everywhere they went. 

We know that many visited our attractions, dined in our restaurants, shopped in our retail stores, visited the mall and downtown, went to the water park and even took tours of our manufacturing plants, because they told us…and you, GRAND ISLAND, welcomed them with open arms.  This is Midwestern hospitality at its best and what will help us to bring this type of sporting event to Grand Island in the future.

This event and bringing many more like it is one of the missions of the newly formed Greater Grand Island Sports Council which is a division of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.  As evidenced from the number of competitors and families, almost 1500, the sports market is one of the most recession proof markets we as a community can go after.  For many of these families, this is their vacation, with many staying in the community for several days prior to or after the competition.  The overall economic impact of this competition on our community will be sizeable.  More importantly, the national recognition of Grand Island as a ’can do' welcoming community within the sports market will stand us in good stead and reap many benefits in the future.

The quality facilities available at the Heartland Events Center and the Heartland Public Shooting Park, enabled us to land this national competition but it was your welcoming attitude and friendliness, Grand Island, that has sealed the deal for the future. Thank you, again, for showing our visitors the "Grand" in Grand Island. I am proud of you and you should be too!

Renee Seifert,

Executive Director

Greater Grand Island Sports Council

Grand Island / Hall County Convention & Visitors Bureau

2424 South Locust Street., Suite C