Visitors say they would pay for Transportation Museum

Noah Keller, 5, watches a model train at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer, one of the top tourist attractions in Rowan County. Photo by Emily Ford

Karen Reid of Huntersville said she would pay to visit the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer with children Anna, 13, Ryleigh, 6, and John, 2. Photo by Emily Ford

Thomas the Tank Engine always draws a big crowd to the N.C. Transportation Museum. File photo by Wayne Hinshaw

By Emily Ford

eford@salisburypost.com

SPENCER — Noah Keller, 5, loves trains.

During Noah’s 20th visit to the N.C. Transportation Museum, it was difficult to tell which moved faster — his feet or mouth.

The Kannapolis boy ran through the roundhouse, talking excitedly as he climbed on every train his parents would allow.

For several hours of family entertainment, parents Amy and Joseph Keller paid nothing.

Admission to the museum always has been free.

That could change next year. The museum’s $1.12 million in state funding is on the chopping block as the legislature and Gov. Bev Perdue grapple with a $3.5 billion budget shortfall.

If the museum loses state funding, officials say they will begin charging admission to help make up the lost revenue.

“I think it would be fine,” Amy Keller said as Noah ran around. “As much as he loves it, we wouldn’t mind.”

Joseph Keller said he would pay $5 for the whole family, while Amy Keller was willing to pay a little more — maybe $5 for an adult and $3 for a child.

The train museum is one of the top attractions in Rowan County, with annual attendance of more than 100,000.

James Meacham, executive director for the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority, said the museum is vital to attracting tourists. While the museum would survive charging an admission fee, attendance would suffer for a few years, he said.

“There would be a small drop, but no long-term damage,” Meacham said.

For between one and three years, attendance has fallen at other state parks like Sliding Rock when they switched from free to fee.

After the third year, attendance levels returned to normal and then increased, Meacham said.

While the N.C. Transportation Museum would survive, surrounding retailers and service providers might not.

If attendance drops at the museum, retail sales also will fall, first at the museum gift shop, Meacham said.

Gas stations and restaurants will feel the impact next, with additional Spencer retailers in the third wave, he said.

Even a 10 percent decrease in museum visitors could mean tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue for businesses in the community, Meacham said.

“In this economic environment, any commerce transaction is important,” he said.

The Rowan County Tourism Development Authority could help mitigate the loss of visitors with creative marketing strategies and an economic analysis to determine what ticket price the market could bear, Meacham said.

A university business school could do a market analysis, including focus groups for fresh opinions about the value of a visit to the museum, he said.

The study would compare the Spencer museum to similar attractions in the county.

Dan Nicholas Park offers free admission, but a family of four pays on average $15 to $20 for refreshments and rides, Meacham said.

At Lazy 5 Ranch, families pay $8.50 per adult and $5.50 per child to drive a car through the animal park. Riding a wagon is more expensive — $13.50 for adults and $8.50 for children.

Patterson Farm charges admission only during festivals, when it costs about $7 for an adult and $3 for a child to enter the grounds.

A family fun pack on the trolley, including the ride and snacks, costs $18 for a family of four.

A flexible ticket pricing structure is important, Meacham said, with different prices for adults, children, seniors and groups.

The Spencer museum could consider a $1 day for local residents, similar to Grandfather Mountain, he said.

“In my opinion, moving forward, the museum will be going to some type of paid admission,” he said. “Many museums are moving that way anyway as they look at new ways to get revenue.”

Meacham has proposed packaging museum tickets with admission to other attractions and cross-promoting the county’s top tourist destinations. For example, material at Dan Nicholas Park would encourage visitors to stop at the transportation museum, and vice versa, he said.

In addition to a long history and good support from the community, as well as a private foundation, the museum has two things going for it, Meacham said — time and a positive attitude.

Charging admission would require legislative action, which could come no sooner than this summer. That leaves plenty of time for the museum to prepare, Meacham said.

Museum leaders including Executive Director Elizabeth Smith, Marketing Director Mark Brown and Kelly Alexander of the N.C. Transportation Museum Foundation have met with the Tourism Development Authority to explore options.

While the museum has been moving toward paid admission for some time, leaders likely will not make any decisions unless it becomes clear the state will cut funding, Brown said.

“There are still a lot of maybes and possibilities that are involved,” he said. “Nothing is in any way set in stone.”

The museum is vital to tourism in Rowan because it serves as a strong northern presence, Meacham said. With the Kannapolis Intimidators stadium in the southern part of the county, the two attractions stand as bookends encompassing the other heavy-hitters — Dan Nicholas Park, Lazy 5 Ranch, Patterson Farm and downtown Salisbury.

Karen Reid of Huntersville, who visited the transportation museum last week with her three children, said she would pay admission prices similar to Discovery Place or other top-tier museums, as much as $10 for an adult.

“I think that would be fair,” she said.

Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.