Tourism opts to purchase van now, trolley later

The Berea Tourism Commission recently voted unanimously to use a portion of its 2025 budget for the purchase of a passenger van. The budget reallocation will use just part of approximately $200,000 that had been set aside for the purchase of a tourism trolley. The matter was discussed at the commission’s April 9 business meeting.

The vehicle would be wrapped in the Berea Tourism livery and used to ferry tourists around the city. Additionally, the city has also pursued a long-term strategy of attracting more small conventions to town, which will likely increase with the opening of the Berea Gallery and Events Center in May. That could create a greater need for a large passenger van.

Commission chair Bill West said there’s still a demand for a trolley that can serve as an added attraction to bring visitors into town, but he ultimately agreed to purchase a van as an interim step.

“I think what you do is get the van now and don’t take the trolley off the table,” West said.

In the past, discussions about bringing a trolley back to Berea have raised questions among Berea City Councilmembers about the long-term cost. Officials have had concerns about how much will be spent on staffing and maintenance. 

Last year, the trolley proposal looked to be indefinitely stalled after city officials questioned the cost. Current tourism officials see the van as a temporary compromise.

“I think the van would be much better for the hotels, honestly,” said Commissioner Donna Brewer. Brewer, who is guest services manager at Boone Tavern Inn, said purchasing a van would save tourism tens of thousands of dollars in lieu of a trolley. The most recent offer the city considered in 2024 was to purchase a fully equipped trolley for $180,000.

The trolley has long been pitched as a resource that would make Berea stand out among tourism towns in the Bluegrass. In a council work session last year, then-Business and Tourism Development Director Donna Angel cited three examples of cities that employ trolleys, including Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Louisville.

At that same work session, Councilman Steve Caudill agreed that while there needs to be some form of transportation to move people around town, he wanted some form of cost/benefit analysis showing precisely how the purchase of a trolley will benefit citizens and businesses.

During that April 2024 session, Councilmember Katie Startzman asked whether there is any data on demographics to know precisely who would use the trolley. Tourism Commission Chair West explained that Berea is increasingly seen as a hub for travelers, who stay overnight in the city, then use Berea as a base to explore other parts of the Bluegrass region. Additionally, he added Berea is attracting more tourists for weekend getaways, and that a trolley makes for a very family-friendly addition to Berea’s overall tourism offerings, since they are popular with children.

For a time, tourism commissioners were pondering whether to invest in electronic displays inside the trolley, which would highlight various restaurants, shops and attractions as the vehicle approached those stops. The addition was thought to be one way to help Berea’s small business owners benefit from the city’s investment.

In years past, Berea rented a trolley from Kentucky River Foothills at a cost of $600 per day. Last year, Angel explained that leasing a trolley is not a cost-effective option for the city.

The 2024-2025 fiscal year for Berea Tourism and the city of Berea ends on June 30.