New Visitors Center Opens

Constance Tillotson

August 9 -- After greeting visitors from a small kiosk in the park for 39 years, the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled its new state-of-the-art visitors center in Santa Monica Place Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the city's dignitaries.

Located on the second floor of the indoor mall, the 1,513 square foot center hopes to lure tourists into overnight stays by providing interactive computer displays with instant hotel and motel reservations. It also hopes to spread tourist dollars across the city by referring visitors to local businesses.

"Tourism culturally enriches us as a community," said Mayor Michael Feinstein, who cut the ceremonial ribbon. "It helps to fund everything from our excellent police force to social services."

Feinstein added that the center also "karmatically" has a value, helping locals fortunate enough to live "by this beautiful beach" to "share the treasure we have."

Misti Kerns, the bureau's executive director, beamed as she welcomed visitors to the sleekly designed center whose central location is expected to encourage visitors to check out the city's varied business strips, Kerns said.

"Finally, this will provide a proper orientation to the entire community," said Kerns. "This includes the Pico district, Main Street and every area, not just Downtown, but all that is available in Santa Monica."

Unlike the kiosk, where there is no room to store promotional materials, the new center will have ample room to provide full services with the latest technology to the more than 100,000 annual visitors and residents who currently wait in line in Palisades Park for help.

The center is expected to help boost Santa Monica's lagging tourism industry in the wake of 9/11. In 2000, foreign travelers made up 62 percent of the visitors to Santa Monica and brought in $523 million into the local economy, Kerns said. But local tourism dropped dramatically after last September's terrorist attacks on the East Coast, she said.

In her speech, Kerns thanked former CVB executive director Beverly Moore who "got the idea started about 10 years ago and got the financing that got the center started."

Moore -- who is widely credited with turning Santa Monica into a world-renowned tourist destination -- said that the new center, which will supplement but not replace the old kiosk in Palisades Park, was "worth the wait."

"Over a million people have stopped by that six by eight kiosk in the park," said Moore, who now heads up the Convention and Visitors bureau in Marina del Rey. "Since 1983, the City has exerted a lot of resources for prospecting visitors. Now we are at a place were we can provide the proper services for them.

"Visitors come into the city really wanting to connect with the community," Moore said. "This center is a warm and welcoming place. It was worth the wait."

The center will be open seven days a week from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. To assist global visitors, the center boasts a multi-lingual staff, as well as volunteers who help out with everything from providing special event schedules and tour information to making reservations at a hand picked restaurant.

The center also will provide comprehensive information displays on attractions, shopping, nightlife, arts, "you are here" directional maps, daily discounted theater tickets and detailed information/displays about public transportation. The center also hopes to eventually supplement the bureau's income by selling souvenirs, such as books, shirts and postcards.