The Ben J. Rogers Regional Visitors Center on Interstate 10 officially opened to the public on June 21.
More than 125,000 travelers drive through Jefferson County on Interstate 10 every day. To grab those drivers' attention and get them to stop and take advantage of the tourist destinations in Southeast Texas instead of just passing through, a new visitors' center for the region was officially opened June 21.
The Ben J. Rogers Regional Visitors Center is located on I-10 next to the Ford Park entertainment complex. A project of the Jefferson County Tourism Commission, the facility was constructed through an Enhancement Grant from the Texas Department of Transportation and from Jefferson County Hotel Occupancy funds.
The visitors' center will spotlight tourist destinations not only in Jefferson County, but in all of the nine counties that make up the Southeast Texas region. Brochures on three enormous racks offer information on destinations from the Bolivar Peninsula to the lakes are near Jasper.
A large information desk will be staffed by friendly employees who can direct a visitor to one of the computers that contain links to area Web sites or to the theater that will feature videos of local attractions.
The Visitors Center has seven employees and is open seven days a week - from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. until Labor Day, and until 5 p.m. the rest of the year.