Carpooling Resources

Downtown, Dickinson, Carlisle Events share interests

April 15, 2008

Gary Mercadante ’09, in downtown Carlisle, researched the potential for a better business bond between the downtown community and Carlisle Events, which will open its annual series of car shows later this month.

Gary Mercadante '09 discovered two different worlds when he came to Carlisle.

After settling in at Dickinson College, the American-studies major noticed the downtown Carlisle community and, on certain weekends from April to October, the throngs of visitors from near and far who attend the Carlisle car shows.

"Before I came to Dickinson a lot of people I spoke to about Carlisle said, 'Oh, it has great car shows—it's famous for its car shows,' " said Mercadante.

Last fall, Mercadante took his observation to the next level by suggesting how the car shows' organizer, Carlisle Events, and the borough could help each other. He did so by writing about the relationship for Carlisle History, a Web site that started as a workshop in Assistant Professor of American Studies Cary Cordova's Introduction to Field Work class.

Mutual benefits

It's a business relationship that has been building for years and, on the eve of a new car show season that begins this month, it's a relationship that continues to grow.

Carlisle Events provides funds to the downtown High I partnership and a free booth at the Carlisle Fairgrounds to the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau, which uses the opportunity to market the county, including downtown Carlisle.

"We're all about supporting the local businesses," said Michael Cornfield, senior director of marketing for Carlisle Events. "When business is good for us, it's good for them."

Cornfield said the car shows generate $90 million in tourism spending annually, and that each year Carlisle Events donates $250,000 to local charities and pays $300,000 in amusement taxes.

Strengthening bond

Rusty Shunk, executive vice president for college and community development at Dickinson College and president of the Downtown Carlisle Association, said area organizations are working together to improve the business climate. He said a recent Economic Research Associates study, commissioned to enhance the mix of downtown retail businesses, calls for strengthening the bond with the car shows.

"Having a tour of historic downtown, including transportation to and from the car show, also is under consideration," said Shunk, who added that the goal is for visitors on those tours to be made aware of the shopping and dining options.

The car shows draw more than 500,000 visitors a year. For Mercadante, that number alone is a great reason for collaboration. He'd like to see tour buses, more downtown vendors at the fairgrounds and more temporary signs directing traffic not only to the car shows but to the downtown.

"People from all over the world come to these car shows," he said. "It's an untapped resource for the downtown Carlisle area."