Lt. Gov. Judge touts Speedway
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Iowa’s Lt. Gov. Patty Judge is on a mission of fun. Judge has been touring the state the last few weeks, visiting areas of interest to tourists, and urging Iowans to spend their vacations close to home this summer. Judge made a stop at the Iowa Speedway to highlight the track as a prime tourist spot within the “golden circle” of Des Moines.
“We know this summer is a little different, with the recession going on,” Judge said. “But the tourism sector is staying strong. Folks are reluctant to buy that airplane ticket, and we have the solution: Just stay in Iowa.”
Judge said the Iowa Tourism Office started TRVL IA about six weeks ago to emphasize the many sites in Iowa where a native Iowan could take a vacation. She has been making tours herself throughout Iowa, with the goal of 67 stops before Labor Day.
Most Iowans don’t think of their state as a tourist state, but Iowa’s tourism industry put $6 billion into the economy last year, and the Iowa Tourism Office is trying to bring home the idea that Iowa is a great place for a vacation.
As an anecdote of the experiences she is having promoting Iowa tourism, Judge said she was in Davenport at a River Bandits baseball game, where they had asked her to throw out the first pitch.
“It was the most agonizing thing this summer,” Judge said. “I can’t throw.” So, one of the State Troopers offered to teach her how to throw a baseball, and they stopped at a Little League field, and in about 15 minutes she learned. Then, and the River Bandits baseball game, another celebrity was on hand to throw out the first pitch with her. It turned out to be Gale Sayers, the famous Chicago Bears running back.
“As you can see, I’m having a lot of fun promoting Iowa,” Judge said.
John Jennings can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 425 or via e-mail at jjennings@newtondailynews.com.
