By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — A new digital sign has been installed on US 30 to prompt tourism in Kosciusko County.
The new sign in front of the visitor center was installed about a week ago and a ribbon cutting was held Wednesday.
The previous sign that featured a large “V for visitor” was nearly 25 years old and did not include a digital display.
The new sign has a large digital screen that will display as many as 5 events for motorists traveling along the highway.
Kosciusko County Visitors Bureau Director Cori Humes said she thinks the new sign will attract more eyeballs.
“It is extremely important for us,” she said. “There are over 8 million travelers who utilize US 30 on an annual basis,” Humes said.
The sign will focus on marketing upcoming events and Humes said it can rotate as many as five messages to effectively catch the eye of passing motorists.
The new sign is slightly shorter than the old one, but still stands out well and highlights the name “Kosciusko County” more prominently.
Humes said she thinks it will attract more people to the visitor center.
“The original V sign served a great purpose. It was a great location beacon for those traveling US 30 unsure where they were,” Humes said.
“We’re really hoping it also does the same thing in the future while also being able to promote Kosciusko County to our travelers and hopefully getting them to stay here.”
On Thursday, the sign was promoting the downtown Warsaw Christmas display, a Wagon Wheel holiday event and Saturday’s Suzie McEntire Christmas show.
Humes said the $160,000 sign was paid with some money from the Kosciusko County innkeepers tax revenue fund, but most of it came from the American Rescue Plan Act.
