A key to a happy life is balance.
You may have read this, heard this, or like me, tried to do this by balancing work and home and everything in between.
In the same way that it is recommended to live a balanced life, I want Savannah to be a balanced city.
That means balancing our thriving tourism product, our historic heritage and our residents who call Savannah home.
It’s not easy, and I’m certainly not going to say that Savannah has it all figured out yet.
However, there are several key leaders working to find that balance. I’m lucky enough to be a part of that with my work at the Tourism Leadership Council, a nonprofit advocating for the responsible growth of the tourism community in our area.
One of the ways our city’s leaders are working on balancing Savannah is by researching what other cities have done well.
This week, I was part of a group of more than a dozen, including Ruel Joyner, Joe Marinelli and members of city staff and Metro police, who went to Charleston to take part in the Responsible Hospitality Institute’s Sociable City Southeast Summit.
I’m writing this before the actual conference begins, but the plan for the conference is to look at how some of the Southeast region’s historic cities manage a vibrant nighttime economy. In particular, the conference will take a closer look at Charleston, Lexington and Tampa.
It is not hard to see the similarities between Savannah and Charleston. Our tourism product is similar. Our historic concerns are similar. Our residential population downtown is also similar. We can learn from Charleston — not that we want to become Charleston.
We will also use Tampa as a case study, researching the historic Ybor City neighborhood. Each night they welcome 20,000 people and require a coordinated effort from Tampa city leaders.
Some of the discussion taking place will concern the impacts when historic buildings and districts transition into high intensity, mixed-use nightlife areas.
Our historic district certainly sees plenty of nighttime activity. We have issues that deal with pedestrian and automobile traffic as well as parking.
I’m thrilled to have Metro officers with us, as another debate will include the pros and cons of dedicated entertainment police units versus overtime officers. We are all devoted to finding a solution to the unique issues Savannah faces. These are issues that usually stem from a vibrant nightlife, such as crime and the perception of crime.
Another hope for this conference is that we can learn more about the benefits of coordinated transportation systems that I believe improve public safety and residential quality of life.
At the onset of this conference, we were encouraged to join together and study proven strategies. I know this is the start to growing that healthy balance for Savannah, and I’m glad Savannah will be adding to our communal toolbox.
Michael Owens is president/CEO of the Tourism Leadership Council, the largest nonprofit trade organization that supports and represents the tourism community. Contact Owens at michael@tourismleadershipcouncil.com or by calling 912-232-1223.
By Michael Owens