Panelists answered the following question: Should the community put significant economic development funding toward promoting the area’s link to Pinnacles National Park?
Julie Morris: “The new Pinnacles National Park is an opportunity to bring visitors and dollars to our county. This should be a focus of our Tourism Task Force and county officials. I think investing in infrastructure (hotels, restaurants) to accommodate visitors can only be a benefit to the community and showcase the natural beauty of San Benito County.”
Richard Herrera: “We must especially that the Pinnacles is in our backyard. I believe Hollister should be the ‘Gateway to the Pinnacles’ not Soledad.”
Marty Richman: “The Pinnacles National Park is a unique local asset capable of garnering national attention and attendance. It would be a crime to not take full advantage of this economic opportunity.”
Louise Ledesma: “Yes. We need to make sure our side of the Pinnacles is known for all of the hiking trails and caves. The majority of the Pinnacles is in San Benito County, and we have wineries and everything to visit while you’re going to the Pinnacles, too. We desperately need more quality motels in the area, so people can make it longer than a one-day trip.”
Mary Zanger: “Yes, absolutely we must promote Hollister as the Gateway to the Pinnacles. Our side is the main and most entered side. This magnificent place of volcanic rock, peaks and caves in San Benito County showcases a scenic route of open spaces sprinkled with cattle, sheep and goats, green grass and wildflowers plus vineyards and wineries and olive groves producing olive oil. What a spectacular venue we offer. We need a sign proclaiming Hollister as the Gateway to the Pinnacles National Park.”
Ruth Erickson: “Hollister used to be known as the ‘Gateway to the Pinnacles National Monument’. We should have been using the Pinnacles to our benefit for many years! Ever since we learned that hte Pinnacles was to be a National Park, Soledad has been vying for the ‘gateway’ title through grants and a P.R. company. As we are the ‘Original Gateway’, the ‘Main Gateway’ and the ‘Eastern Gateway’, we need to promote and take pride in ourselves, our community, our county!”
