Putting tourism and Redmond in the same sentence may seem odd to readers. That was the takeaway when I dropped in on the regulars at Proust Coffee. Speaking for the java group, Don Patterson said: “Tourists coming to Redmond? I can’t imagine people wanting to vacation here.” His caffeine buddy, Brady Connor, added: “Maybe some folks just passing through.”
As long-time residents, they weren’t being derogatory. They were simply putting it in the context of destination tourism locations like Las Vegas, New Orleans or Anaheim (Disneyland). Nobody’s going to mistake Redmond for Orlando, but it would be an error to think that Redmond doesn’t have a healthy tourism industry with thousands, not hundreds, but thousands of visitors annually.
The key word is visitors. The word tourist is being eradicated by the meeting, convention and hospitality industry as tourists are not always welcome creatures in a community. They often grab up the best seats, clog shopping districts or don’t fit in with local customs. Visitors on the other hand are not so easily tarnished as we are taught from childhood to be welcoming of guests. Other side of the same coin. You wouldn’t be rude to a visitor now would you?
In fact the Redmond Chamber of Commerce is also the home of Visit Redmond. Both are headed by Eric Sande, Executive Director. “Redmond sells itself,” he says, elaborating: “With what we have to offer, Redmond is growing as the gateway to central Oregon tourism.”
Sande points out that if you are coming to any part of central Oregon by air, then it all begins and often ends at Roberts Field. He cites the airport and the Expo Center as the key drivers of visitors from literally around the world making their way here.
Visit Redmond is about to launch a new, more robust web site in a week or two - visitredmondoregon.com – that is supplemented with the annual Visitor Guide, a 156 page, full color, full size magazine. 18,000 copies are printed and distributed in strategic locations statewide.
A major traffic builder is Smith Rock, one of the most visited sites in all of Oregon. Last year saw more than 800,000 visitors. Crater Lake by comparison came in under 700,000. Almost 25,000 of those Smith Rockers overnighted, some camping on the grounds. The majority, though, stayed in motels and hotels. There being none in closer by Terrebonne, Redmond was the beneficiary.
Smith Rock draws climbers from 27 countries, many of whom are non-English speaking so in warmer weather it is not uncommon to be in Redmond and hear German, Austrian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, French and Asian speakers.
Sande says he gets a steady stream of walk-ins who come to climb or attend Expo events. They leave with armloads of available maps, pamphlets, and brochures extolling the virtues and opportunities for visitors to Redmond. “A good number of the climbers are captivated by the Maple Street Bridge arches.” He explained how the climbers can practice right in town dangling from the 70 foot high, 780 foot long span over Dry Canyon.
Geoff Hinds, Executive Director of Deschutes County & Expo Center, told The Spokesman that most Redmonders think events held there are local in nature. Some are. Most are not. The most visible – the two rodeos – would surprise us with the numbers of out-of-town spectators who are generally from a five state region. The cowboys and cowgirls come from as far as Canada, Mexico and Florida.
The list of region-wide events held at the Expo is lengthy. “Redmond has developed a unique brand of Americana tourism,” Hinds said, adding: “Redmond is a destination onto itself. Even if Redmond is not the starting point for central Oregon visitors, many wind up here as they explore the many outdoor options that make Redmond the center point.”
Indeed, Redmond finds itself right in the middle of destination resorts like Brasada Ranch, Eagle Crest and Crooked River Ranch. Equestrians also come literally from around the globe for horsemanship near Redmond. Cascades Futurity in September is a typical event featuring some of the best cutting horses in the country.
Overland Expo has just added Redmond as its fourth venue for 2022. Last year they drew 59,000 attendees and 855 exhibitors for their shows in Arizona, Colorado and Virginia. Event Marketing VP Jessica Kirchner explained Redmond and the Expo as their choice for the Pacific Northwest.
“With 340 acres and more than 300,000 square feet of flexible event space and state-of-the-art amenities, Deschutes County Fairgrounds and Expo Center is the premier event facility in the Pacific Northwest. The venue is conveniently located less than a mile from Redmond Municipal Airport.”
“The facility is surrounded on virtually all sides by beautiful National Forests too, including the Mt. Hood National Forest to the north, Ochoco National Forest to the east, Deschutes National Forest to the west, and Fremont-Winema National Forest to the south. Each of these has hundreds of trails to explore and campsites to visit.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by organizers of ABA-USA BMX who will hold their Great Northwest Nationals in Redmond April 8th to 10th with riders and spectators expected from Washington, California, Idaho and possibly as far as Montana and Colorado.
So, yes, tourism in Redmond is not an oxymoron.