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OPINION
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN—WEEKLY SUMMER EDITION
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Kansas...Cabela's and much more
I've lived in Kansas off and on for 23 years. And, until last week, I'd never heard of the 8,000 pound concrete prairie dog located in Oakley. "The World's Largest Prairie Dog" lives in "Prairie Dog Town," which also boasts "Roscoe the Miniature Donkey" and the "Six-legged Live Steer."
But why hadn't I heard of the mammoth mammal? It could be because Kansas hasn't actively promoted tourism in the state for 20 years. Not that a Kansas tourism campaign would focus on the unusual points of interest in the state, but with so many of them, maybe it should.
The last campaign to drop a significant amount of cash on promoting the state was, "Kansas, The Land of Ahhs." The campaign took place in the mid-'80s and played on the Wizard of Oz tie to Kansas.
perspective
Now, it looks like there might be a renewed interest in enhancing Kansas' image for tourism and new business.
Chris Crawford
opinion@hansan.com
Scott Allegrucci, director of the division of travel and tourism development for Kansas, said that Governor Sebellius requested $2.1 million for "brand image development and marketing" for the state for 2005. Allegrucci said the Department of Commerce, which oversees tourism and business in the state, received $600,000 for 2005.
I suggest we take this money and market the often-overlooked tourism destinations in the state. The new state tourism slogan will be, "Kansas...Cabela's and much more."
The first in the series of campaign ads will begin, "After you stock up on your crossbows and 'cowboy action clothing' (off their Web site) at Cabela's, why don't you head to Garden City and visit the Finney Co. Museum, home of the 'World's Largest Cow Hairball.' The hairball was found in a cow's stomach during slaughter at a meat-packing plant. It weighs 55 pounds (when wet) and is 38 inches in circumference."
Unfortunately, while researching the Garden City hairball, I came across an article that announced Mike Canchola, of Sterling, Colo., has a 43.3-inch cow hairball and thus the new "World's Largest Cow Hairball." Colorado 1, Kansas 0.
A possible replacement for the hairball might be the "World's Largest Hand-Dug
If you didn't already know, Cabela's, a hunting, fishing and outdoor mega store in Kansas City, Kan., is the number one tourist destination in the state.
Another unknown Kansas treasure is the "World's Largest Ball of Twine" in Cawker City. The ad for the ball of twine will begin, "Howdy, Fisherman Frank. Looks like you've loaded up on fishin' line at Cabela's. I know another Frank. A farmer, Frank Stoeber, who started to make a ball of twine in 1953. Today that ball of twine is the 'World's Largest Ball of Twine,' and weighs 17,554 pounds and could stretch out to 1,325 miles."
Well” in Greensburg. As you probably already know, the well is 109 feet deep and 32 feet in diameter. The ad for the well will begin, “Well, well, well... we know Cabela's has a 'bargain cave' (on the Web site) but we've got a very deep well."
There are many other great Kansas tourist spots; we just have to get people out of Cabela's.
Crawford is an Overland Park senior in journalism.