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Black Hills News StoriesGo back to News ArticlesBlack Hills, Badlands & Lakes Association Turns 70RAPID CITY (12/15/09) — Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Association, western South Dakota’s regional tourism promotion organization marks its 70th anniversary on Sunday, December 20.Organizers of the state’s oldest, largest and most influential tourism trade association first met in Deadwood on Dec. 20, 1939, to charter what was originally known as the Black Hills & Bad Lands Association. The association’s first budget of $10,691.79 funded three projects: a booth at the Chicago News Travel Show in March 1940; the first “official” map of the Black Hills, printed in May 1940; and a “Port of Entry” visitor center on US Highway 14-16 in northeast Rapid City. Its present-day promotions range widely, but the Association continues to promote at national travel shows, prints and distributes the well-regarded Black Hills tear-off map and operates the Black Hills Visitor Information Center at Exit 61 along Interstate-90. The organization also places advertising, publishes three visitor magazines including the South Dakota Vacation Guide, and conducts press activities and direct sales programs to generate tourist traffic for the region. BHB&L is a cooperation of many small businesses that have joined forces and funding to underwrite a large, coordinated marketing program. Its primary goal is to influence consumers to vacation in this area. The Association currently lists 501 member businesses in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming and is financed almost entirely by private tourist operators. The policy-making board of directors is comprised of 17 appointed community representatives, six trade association spokespersons, three attractions and six at-large delegates. The Board of Directors, together with five committees, supervises all aspects of the Association’s tourist promotions. For 2010, the board approved a $1.845 million program of work. The Association is a private, non-profit corporation headquartered at the Black Hills Visitor Information Center, 1851 Discovery Circle in Rapid City. BHB&L employs a staff of 11 full-time and 12 seasonal employees to implement Black Hills tourist promotions. For more information, contact Bill Honerkamp at 605-355-3600. ### |
