A Study of the Tourism Practices of Warwick, GA

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A Study of theTourism Practices ofWarwick, GA
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Background
LOCATION

• WORTH
• COUNTY
• in
• Southwest
• Georgia

160 miles S of Atlanta 70 miles SW of Macon 70
miles SE of Columbus 25 miles NE of Albany
570 square miles
Organized in 1853
Sources www.naco.org and www.gmanet.com/city_deta
il
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Background

LOCATION
Source www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/histcoun
tymaps
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Background
LOCATION
Source www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/ Census map
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Background
POPULATION

• 430 year-round residents in the city of Warwick
• 21,967 year-round residents in Worth County
• 47.9 male, 52.1 female
• 13.5 veteran status
• 98.6 born in the United States
• 83.1 born in the State of Georgia
• 01.0 foreign born

Source 2000 U.S. Census Bureau
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Background Worth County
AGE
RACE

• Median age 35.7 years
• 23.3 under 15 years old
• 13.3 15 to 24 years old
• 12.2 25 to 34 years old
• 15.2 35 to 44 years old
• 14.0 45 to 54 years old
• 09.8 55 to 64 years old
• 06.6 65 to 74 years old
• 04.0 75 to 84 years old
• 01.4 85 years old and older

• 99.4 one race
• 68.7 Caucasian
• 29.6 African-American
• 00.4 American Indian
• 00.2 Asian
• 00.0 Pacific Islander
• 00.6 Other
• 00.6 Multi-racial

Source 2000 U.S. Census Bureau
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Background Worth County
EDUCATION
MARITAL STATUS

• Individuals over 25 years old
• 10.8 less than 9th grade
• 20.9 High School, no diploma
• 38.1 High School graduate (or equivalency)
• 17.7 some College, no degree
• 03.9 Associate degree
• 05.7 Bachelors degree
• 02.9 Graduate or professional degree

• Individuals over 15 years old
• 22.7 never married
• 58.1 married, living together
• 02.4 married, separated
• 07.7 widowed
• 09.2 divorced

Source 2000 U.S. Census Bureau
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Background Worth County
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Median household income 32,384

• 15.7 less than 10,000
• 07.3 10,000 to 14,999
• 15.9 15,000 to 24,999
• 14.5 25,000 to 34,999
• 16.1 35,000 to 49,999

• 18.9 50,000 to 74,999
• 06.1 75,000 to 99,999
• 03.7 100,000 to 149,999
• 01.0 150,000 to 199,999
• 00.7 200,000 or more

14.7 of families below poverty level
18.5 of individuals below poverty level
Source 2000 U.S. Census Bureau
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Background Worth County
HOUSING
HOME VALUE

• Median 5.4 rooms
• 00.5 one room
• 02.2 two rooms
• 08.1 three rooms
• 16.3 four rooms
• 25.1 five rooms
• 22.3 six rooms
• 12.3 seven rooms
• 08.6 eight rooms
• 04.6 nine or more rooms

• Median value 68,000
• 31.3 Less than 50,000
• 45.9 50,000 to 99,999
• 13.6 100,000 to 149,999
• 07.0 150,000 to 199,999
• 00.8 200,000 to 299,999
• 01.2 300,000 to 499,999
• 00.0 500,000 to 999,999
• 00.1 1,000,000 or over

Source 2000 U.S. Census Bureau
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Background Worth County
VEHICLE AVAILABILITY

• 10.5 No vehicles for transportation
• 29.0 One vehicle for transportation
• 37.6 Two vehicles for transportation
• 22.9 Three or more vehicles for transportation

Source 2000 U.S. Census Bureau
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Background Worth County
CRIME RATES (number of incidents)

• 000 Murder
• 001 Rape
• 012 Robbery
• 019 Aggravated Assault
• 104 Burglary
• 273 Larceny (theft)
• 022 Motor vehicle theft

Source www.fedstats.gov/mapstats/crime.html
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Background
WARWICK CITY GOVERNMENT

• One elected Mayor
• Four elected Council Members
• One appointed City Clerk

Source www.gmanet.com/city_detail
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Background
WORTH COUNTY GOVERNMENT

• Five elected Commissioners, one of whom is
  appointed Chairman
• One elected County Probate Court Judge
• One elected County Sheriff
• One elected Tax Commissioner

Source www.naco.org
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History

• Named for Warwick, RI
• Date of settlement unknown
• Andrew Jackson camped near here in 1818
• Dam built on Flint River near Warwick in 1930 to
  generate power helped create Lake Blackshear
  recreation areas
• Private hunting preservations established

Source www.naco.org
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Tourism
LODGING HOTELS / MOTELS

• Retreat at Lake
• Blackshear (15 miles)
• Numerous hotels in Americus 40 miles
• Numerous hotels in Cordele 15 miles
• Numerous hotels in Albany 25 miles

Source 2003 Georgia On My Mind Travel Guide
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Tourism
RESTAURANTS

• Whitneys Restaurant
• Daphnes Lodge (Lake Blackshear 8 miles)
• The Olde Inn (Lake Blackshear 8 miles)
• Numerous restaurants in Americus 40 miles
• Numerous restaurants in Cordele 15 miles
• Numerous restaurants in Albany 25 miles
• Numerous restaurants in Sylvester 25 miles

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Tourism
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

• National Grits Festival
• Hunting lodges

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Tourism
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

• Georgia Rural Telephone Museum (Leslie 23
  miles)
• Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park (8 miles)
• Lake Blackshear (fishing, boating 10 miles)
• Whitewater Creek Park (Oglethorpe 20 miles)

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Strengths

• Small town atmosphere
• Southern hospitality
• High income residential population on Lake
• Nearby Lake Blackshear (recreation)
• Quiet, relaxed pace of life
• Near Interstate 75
• Located on GA-FL Parkway

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Weaknesses

• Lack of dining options
• Lack of lodging options
• Larger cities in area draw tourists away
• Risk of waterfront flooding at times
• Lacking the infrastructure to expand
• Few financial resources
• Small population tax base

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Opportunities

• Expansion of Lake Blackshear activities
• Popularity of hunting in Southern USA
• Established festival
• Attract more outdoor-lovers
• Host / sponsor fishing / hunting
• tournaments

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Threats

• Potential of another flood, like in 1994
• Other more attractive alternates to get to I-75
• Higher visibility and attractiveness of nearby
  cities
• Visitors might bypass the nature because of a
  lack of lodging and dining

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Recommendations

• Adjust tax rates to attract more investment and
  residents
• Promote area as place for growth
• Draw more tourists who are coming to nearby
  cities
• Attract younger couples / families to establish
  residence, improving financial resources
• Improve outward appearance of downtown buildings
• Focus on positive activities
• Promote Grits Festival in larger area
• Establish new activities for Grits Festival (such
  as a 10K run, fishing or golf tournament, etc)