Oak Ridge Today

Explore Oak Ridge appoints Kendall as interim president

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Lisa Kendall

Lisa Kendall

 

Explore Oak Ridge, the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, announced Friday that it will appoint Lisa Kendall to the position of interim president.

Marc DeRose, the former president of Explore Oak Ridge, announced in late August that he planned to resign from the position in September to pursue other career goals after four years, but he would remain in the position until September 30 (this past Sunday) to assist in the search and transition to a new president.

Kendall currently serves as vice president of Explore Oak Ridge, and she oversees visitor event development and support, a press release said. Since joining Explore Oak Ridge in 2015, Kendall has led many initiatives to enhance the economic impact of visitors on Oak Ridge, the press release said. [Read more…]

State grant will help with national park signs, waterfront improvements

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Pictured above during a state grant announcement at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building for national park signs and waterfront improvements on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, are, from left, Dave Jones, East Tennessee division manager of Tennessee Tourist Development; Amy New, assistant commissioner of community and rural development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch; Jody Sliger, community development director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; and Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Pictured above during a state grant announcement at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building for national park signs and waterfront improvements on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, are, from left, Dave Jones, East Tennessee division manager of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development; Amy New, assistant commissioner of community and rural development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch; Jody Sliger, community development director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; and Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A state grant of more than $50,000 that was announced Tuesday will help create interpretive signs for historic sites in Oak Ridge that are related to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park and improve the waterfront for events such as rowing, cycling, and festivals, officials said.

The $56,250 Tourism Enhancement Grant, part of the third round of grants, was announced Tuesday at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building. A few Oak Ridge officials attended, and so did representatives of the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

“Through this grant, the City of Oak Ridge, in partnership with Explore Oak Ridge, will receive funds to support projects that improve some of the city’s key tourist attractions,” a press release said.

Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge, said there are two parts to the grant. One is to enhance the city’s component of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The grant funding could be used to create interpretive signs at historic places like the Guest House and Chapel on the Hill. The interpretive signs will be accessible and include pictures and content, DeRose said. [Read more…]

USA Cycling selects Oak Ridge for individual time trial championships

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USA Cycling National Championships June 2018 Oak Ridge

USA Cycling has selected Oak Ridge for one of three national championships in East Tennessee this month.

The USA Cycling Professional Road, Individual Time Trial (ITT), and Criterium National Championships will be in Knoxville and Oak Ridge from June 21-24.

The ITT National Championships will be on Melton Lake Drive on June 21, kicking off the championships, a press release said.

The City of Oak Ridge is hosting the ITT National Championships in partnership with Visit Knoxville, the press release said. [Read more…]

Lunch with the League features Marc DeRose of Explore Oak Ridge on Tuesday

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Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose of Explore Oak Ridge will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, October 17. His presentation will center on Explore Oak Ridge’s responsibility for maximizing the economic impact of visitors to Oak Ridge, a press release said.

Explore Oak Ridge was formerly known as the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Lunch with the League meeting will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

DeRose, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, has a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental science from Trent University, Peterborough, Canada, and a master’s degree in biology and quantitative genetics from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, the press release said. He spent more than 15 years as a professional rowing coach at the junior, NCAA, national, and international levels. [Read more…]

USRowing Masters National Championships is in Oak Ridge this week

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The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will be held on the Oak Ridge rowing course from August 17-20. (Photo courtesy USRowing)

 

The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships are in Oak Ridge this week.

The rowing races are scheduled from Thursday, August 17, to Sunday, August 20, on the Oak Ridge rowing course on Melton Hill Lake.

The 2016 regatta had more than 2,000 entries as 165 clubs converged on the waterways of Lake Quinsigamond for the largest USRowing event ever. For Oak Ridge Rowing Association Regatta Director Sarah McAuliffe, it set the bar even higher for this year, and she is looking forward to the challenge, a press release said.

“Oak Ridge Rowing Association is extremely excited to provide an excellent athlete experience for rowers at Masters Nationals 2017,” McAuliffe said. “With our race course recognized as one of the best in the country, and an organization that has decades of experience hosting high-caliber events, rowers will have the ability to connect with other athletes socially and competitively.” [Read more…]

Reminder: First-ever Nine Lakes Wine Festival is today

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Nine Lakes Wine Festival Logo

Reminder: The first-ever Nine Lakes Wine Festival is today (Saturday, May 20) at the Melton Lake Park peninsula in Oak Ridge.

The festival focuses on the wine trails of the eastern half of Tennessee and their award-winning wines, a press release said. It bears the name “Nine Lakes” from the nine lakes made by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the Knoxville area.

“The beauty of our waterfront Melton Lake Park is perfect for a wine festival,” said Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge, the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau, which is one of the sponsoring partners for the event.

Nine Lakes Wine Festival is featuring 20 wineries that participate in five different wine trails. They will be grouped by trail, for a seamless tasting experience, the press release said.

“We are highlighting wine trails because they set quality and professional standards for their members,” explained James R. Riddle, president of the Appalachian Region Wine Producers Association, one of the sponsors of the festival. [Read more…]

New wine festival to focus on quality, wine trails, Nine Lakes region

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Nine Lakes Wine Festival Logo

The first-ever Nine Lakes Wine Festival will be held May 19-20 in Oak Ridge.

The festival will focus on the wine trails of the eastern half of Tennessee and their award-winning wines, a press release said. The festival is just 30 minutes from downtown Knoxville, and it bears the name “Nine Lakes” from the nine lakes made by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the Knoxville area.

“The beauty of our waterfront Melton Lake Park is perfect for a wine festival,” said Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge, the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau, which is one of the sponsoring partners for the event.

Nine Lakes Wine Festival will feature 20 wineries that participate in five different wine trails. They will be grouped by trail, for a seamless tasting experience, the press release said. [Read more…]

Tourism in Oak Ridge, Anderson County shows increased economic impact

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The economic impact of tourism in Anderson County and Oak Ridge has increased for a second year in a row.

In September, the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development released its 2015 annual report showing that visitors to Anderson County, which includes Oak Ridge, were responsible for spending more than $119 million in the county, an increase of 2.9 percent over the previous year, a press release said. Visitor spending in Anderson County yielded nearly $3 million in local sales tax.

“Marketing efforts continue to pay off as part of an organized effort to increase tourism in Oak Ridge and Anderson County,” Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said in the press release. “Tourism is not only a way to increase our tax revenues, but the people who visit us positively add to the fabric and culture of our community—making tourism investment an all-around win.”

In its annual report, Explore Oak Ridge released data that showed Oak Ridge hotel revenue was up by 11 percent compared to the previous year (hotel revenue is a typical measure tourism’s economic effect on a city). Local tax generated from Oak Ridge hotels exceeded $585,000 in the 2015-16 fiscal year. [Read more…]

USRowing Masters Nationals returns to Oak Ridge in 2017

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The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will be held in Oak Ridge in August. The championships are scheduled for August 17-20 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy USRowing)

 

The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will be held in Oak Ridge in August.

The championships are scheduled for August 17-20 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge. USRowing announced the dates and location on Friday.

There were more than 2,000 entries from 165 clubs for the 2016 event on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts, in August. It was the largest USRowing event ever, according to USRowing. (Oak Ridge rower Michael Schay won several gold medals there.)

The bar has been set even higher for 2017, USRowing said, citing Oak Ridge Rowing Association Regatta Director Sarah McAuliffe.

“Oak Ridge Rowing Association is extremely excited to provide an excellent athlete experience for rowers at Masters Nationals 2017,” said McAuliffe. “With our race course recognized as one of the best in the country, and an organization that has decades of experience hosting high-caliber events, rowers will have the ability to connect with other athletes socially and competitively…With our race course that is recognized as one of the best in the country, and an organization that has decades of experience hosting high-caliber events, rowers will have the ability to connect with other athletes socially and competitively.” [Read more…]

Eighth lane could be added to Oak Ridge rowing course by March

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Officials and referees used Oak Ridge Rowing Association boats to monitor the races on the seven-lane course at the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. The city plans to add an eighth lane by March 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

An eighth lane could be added to the Oak Ridge rowing course by March, officials said Tuesday.

The work is made possible with help from a $40,000 state Tourism Enhancement Grant announced Tuesday by Randy Boyd, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Officials celebrated with a brief ceremony at Calhoun’s Event Center on Melton Lake Peninsula.

The eighth rowing lane has been on the city’s wish list for at least a decade, possibly longer.

Oak Ridge has received a $250,000 state grant for the proposed eighth lane. The city has planned to contribute $150,000, and Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson has solicited more money from other agencies that would benefit from the rowing course improvements, including in Anderson and Knox counties. That meant there was enough money available to fund a project of about $560,000, which is close to a targeted estimate that Watson gave Oak Ridge City Council members in March. [Read more…]

Leadership Oak Ridge remodeling Boys & Girls Club teen room

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Leadership Oak Ridge Class of 2016 (Submitted photo)

Leadership Oak Ridge Class of 2016 (Submitted photo)

 

For 30 years, Leadership Oak Ridge has been informing, training, and empowering leaders in Oak Ridge and the region. With more than 1,000 graduates, Leadership Oak Ridge is one of the longest continuously running leadership programs in the United States.

Each year, a Leadership Oak Ridge class takes on a project aimed at benefiting the Oak Ridge community. This year’s class will lead and implement a plan to renovate a vital part of the Boys & Girls Club in Oak Ridge.

The Boys & Girls Club provides an opportunity for youth to engage in programs and activities to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

“The Boys & Girls Club is a well-known and vital part of the Oak Ridge community, and like all programs of this type, it relies heavily on volunteer support and donations to maintain the quality and relevance of the services it delivers,” said Dennis Yates, of Centrus Energy and Leadership Oak Ridge Class of 2016. [Read more…]

Council to discuss city marketing, eighth rowing lane, housing, Main Street

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Officials and referees monitor races on the seven-lane rowing course at the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday will discuss city marketing, the potential eighth lane at the rowing course, housing, and Main Street Oak Ridge.

The issues will be discussed during a non-voting work session of the Oak Ridge City Council at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, in the Multipurpose Room of the Central Services Complex on Woodbury Lane, which is behind the Kmart shopping center.

There are other agenda items that could also be discussed: pending U.S. Department of Energy projects and public comment requests, and updates on the Oak Ridge Senior Center and Friendship Bell.

The report on visitation marketing will be presented by Marc DeRose, executive director of Explore Oak Ridge (the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau). [Read more…]