Teresa Anderson, Temple’s destination marketing manager, says the city’s biggest draw is unique experiences such as fine restaurants and nightspots, major conventions, sports tournaments and world-class bass fishing. But, with limited hotel and convention space, she says the city is turning away business. David Stone photo

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

Temple doesn’t have Florida’s sandy beaches, Colorado’s snowy peaks or Arizona’s giant crack in the ground. But despite the lack of natural splendor, people flock here every year and spend a mountain of money.

In 2021 — just a year removed from “shelter in place” pandemic mandates — visitors spent a whopping $161.3 million at Temple hotels, restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, museums and other attractions. That money generated $15.8 million in tax receipts that went into city coffers.

“Temple doesn’t have the amazing natural assets, and we don’t have man-made marvels like Disneyland or Six Flags,” said Teresa Anderson, Temple’s Destination Marketing manager. “But we do have unique experiences — major conventions, sports tournaments, great fishing, fabulous restaurants. We’re packaging some of these experiences together to bring in more people.”

Thousands of visitors come to Temple from all over the country for medical treatments and appointments. They stay at hotels, dine and drink at restaurants and watering holes, and shop for gifts, groceries, gas and an endless variety of merchandise and services.

“Our medical community is big, but people aren’t just coming to Temple for health reasons,” Anderson said. “We have so much to offer — the Frank Mayborn Convention Center, the Cultural Activities Center, Spare Time, Crossroads Park, museums and a robust Downtown.”

“The city is investing in development, and they are focusing on quality of life improvements that bring in new people. Some people come here to visit, and some come here to live. With all of the construction and renovations, the next 30 months will bring a lot of change.”

These “changes” include two parking garages, apartment communities, a festival grounds and dozens of new businesses. Temple is poised to attract more conventions and sports tournaments, but according to Anderson, the city is in need of more hotel rooms.

“Right now, we have about 2,000 rooms,” she said. “That’s not enough. We could probably double that. But we don’t really need more limited-service hotels. Temple needs a conference hotel or a nice resort hotel.”

“We are turning away an average of 10 meeting leads per week from people interested in bringing an event or conference to the Mayborn Center, but they don’t book because of our limited-capacity meeting space. We are having to turn away business.”

Anderson said the convention center has strong weekend business with weddings, anniversary celebrations and other events, but it needs more Monday through Thursday bookings.

According to Anderson, a hotel with large conference and convention capabilities would go a long way toward capturing the overflow events.

Based on information provided by Anderson, the maximum occupancy at the Mayborn Center varies depending on how the facility’s 18,620-square-foot Main Hall is configured. When set up as an auditorium, the Hall holds 1,926 people. But, that number drops to 880 when it’s configured for a banquet. During job fairs and other vendor-based events, the Main Hall will hold 88 booths, Anderson said.

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Just how big of a year did Temple tourism have during 2021?

That $161.3 million is the most ever spent in a single year by visitors to the city. Since 2008, Temple has benefited from at least $100 million in tourist spending every year except one — 2009. During the pandemic year of 2020, when travel was highly discouraged, visitors still spent nearly $130 million locally.

Temple calendars are filled with an array of big events, and the need for more hotel space is likely to grow, Anderson said.

Here’s a look at the economic impact of some of the city’s biggest draws during 2022:

• The International Senior Softball Tournament was held March 6-8 at Crossroads Park. The event had an economic impact of $36,160 and visitors spent 160 room nights.

A room night is the number of motel rooms occupied by people attending an event multiplied by the number of nights they will stay. For example, if 10 rooms were booked for three nights, that would be 30 room nights.

• Texas Veterans Commission HCAD Training was held April 18-22 at Hilton Garden Inn and had an economic impact of $10,848. Visitors spent 48 room nights.

• The Texas Association of Private & Parochial Schools Music Competition was held April 19-21 and had an economic impact of $67,800. Visitors spent 300 room nights.

• The first of three Premiere Events 7-on-7 Football Tournament was held April 23-25 at Korompai Fields. The economic impact was $94,500 and visitors stayed 500 room nights.

• The Earthmoving Contractors Association of Texas were in town for an April 23-24 meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn. The economic impact was $6,780 and 30 room nights were used.

• The Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board met at the Mayborn Center on April 25-27, and it had an economic impact of $22,600. Visitors stayed 100 room nights.

• The Texas Hot Road Tour was here April 30 and used 225 hotel rooms. The economic impact from this event was $50,850.

• National Model Railroad Association annual convention held May 5-7. This convention was held at the Mayborn Convention Center and had an economic impact of $51,076. Visitors spent 226 room nights in the Temple area.

• The Premiere Events 7-on-7 Football Tournament was held May 7-8 at Korompai Fields. The economic impact was $94,500 and visitors spent 50 room nights in the Temple area.

• The STYSA Soccer Director’s Cub Tournament was held May 7-8 at Crossroads Park. The tournament had a direct economic impact of $252,000 and visitors spent 500 room nights in the Temple area.

• The Texas High School Bass Association will hold its state tournament at Belton Lake on May 13-15. That tournament has a projected economic benefit of $135,600, and anglers and tournament officials will be spending 600 room nights in local hotels and motels.

• Also on May 13-14, the Area XII FFA Association will hold its annual convention at the Mayborn Center. Visitors will spend 125 room nights and will spend an estimated $33,900 while in town.

• May 13-14 also will see the USA Girls Fastpitch Softball Tournament at Crossroads Park. This event will have an estimated economic impact of $45,200 and 200 room nights will be needed.

• The Bad Boys Billiards Tournament is May 21-30 at the Mayborn Center, and will bring an estimated economic boon of $101,700. Visitors will spend 450 room nights in the area.

• Yee-Haw! The Texas State Federation of Square & Round Dancers are coming June 9-11, and they will bring in an estimated $73,450. Visitors will spend about 325 room nights in the Temple area.

• Baylor Scott & White will hold its School Nurse Conference on June 14-17 at the Mayborn Center. The will bring in an estimated $101,700 and 450 room nights will be used.

• The Premiere Events 7-on-7 Football Tournament returns June 17-18 at Korompai Fields. This time, the economic impact is expected to hit $94,500 and the visitors will spend 50 room nights.

• The Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association’s annual meeting will be Aug. 19-21 at Hilton Garden Inn. The conference has an estimated economic impact of $11,300 and visitors will spend 50 room nights.

• The Texas Society of Colonial Dames will meet Aug. 24-26 at Hilton Garden Inn, and the expected economic impact is $27,120 room nights.

• The USA Softball Men’s National Labor Day Tournament will be held at Crossroads Park on Sept. 3-4. The economic impact is expected to reach $45,200 and 200 room nights will be used.

• On Sept. 19-21, the International Fellowship of Chaplains Symposium will be held at Mayborn Convention Center with an estimated economic impact of $50,850. Visitors will spend 225 room nights during the event.

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Anderson has been in the destination marketing business for three decades and has spent the past 2.5 years here in Temple.

“The destination marketing position was new in Temple when I arrived,” Anderson said. “I was intrigued — it was building a new program from the ground up.”

“It’s my job to share with the visiting public that Temple is a place to spend time and enjoy,” she said. “We want to bring in more sports tournaments, more meetings and more conventions.”

Last month, the city relaunched its Discover Temple website, and converted its Downtown Temple website into a micro-site that resides inside Discover Temple. The new site is discovertemple.com.

“Temple has a real opportunity,” she said. “It’s a vibrant city with a lot to offer and a lot more on the way. Temple is primed for more hotels, big sports tournaments, major conventions and big music festivals.”

“We want to make Temple more than a place to visit — we want to create a destination.”

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WEDNESDAY | MAY 11, 2022

today’s best bets

• Corky's Comedy Open Mic nights are where up-and-coming comics, humorists or regular Joes can get 5-minutes to try our their set, work on jokes, or just try to see if they can make the crowd laugh. This is adult humor and intended for mature audiences, each comic or budding comedian is working to grow as a performer and it is through events like Open Mic that they get stage time and learn how to hone their craft. Many of our performers are touring comics already and come out to support Comedy in Temple or to refine a set but be prepared for some of the newest faces on the stage. Sign up at 7:30 p.m., show at 8.

• Lonesome Dove: The Photo Exhibit runs through June 25. The exhibit is a collection of black-and-white framed photos captured by the late Bill Wittliff, renowned photographer, writer, and co-executive producer of the popular Western mini-series.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

To include your events in What’s Happening, email information to OurTownTemple@gmail.com. Photos are welcome to for use in the publication as space permits!

What year did Temple’s second railroad, the Kansas-Missouri-Texas, start service in town?

ANSWER AT END OF TODAY’S ISSUE

On this day in 1953, Waco was ravaged by a tornado that tore through the heart of the city. The storm killed 114 people and seriously injured another 145; 196 business buildings were completely destroyed, and 396 were damaged so badly that they had to be torn down. After the storm, many shoppers began to frequent suburban shopping centers, thus hastening the decline of the downtown business district. Connally Air Force Base was closed in 1966, dealing a blow to the city. The Waco Urban Renewal Project was begun in 1958 to deal with the problem of inner-city blight, and in 1967 the city was chosen for the federal government's "Model Cities" program. By 1978 the Urban Renewal Project had helped to channel more than $125 million into renovating the city's urban core. Slums were cleared and a number of new buildings were constructed, including new apartment complexes, a shopping center near Baylor University, and a convention center. The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, a city zoo, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame have also contributed to Waco's urban revival.

OurTownTemple@gmail.com | (254) 231-1574

TODAY’S TEMPLE TRIVIA ANSWER: The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway — aka The Katy — started service in Temple in 1882, about a year after the town was founded by the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe.