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Rolling billboards promote tourism and economic development of Iowa’s Great Places

Ankeny

With staycations and weekend trips replacing the cross country family vacation, your next idea for a destination may come from an unexpected place: semi-tractor trailers on Iowa’s roads. 

The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD) is again partnering with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Iowa Great Places program to design and mount images of Great Places communities onto seven more of ABD’s semi-tractor trailers. The trailers are used to deliver spirits to retail outlets across the state. Iowa Great Places is an initiative that combines state resources with local assets to build capacity in communities to cultivate the unique and authentic qualities that make the places special.

“Iowa communities have done a great job marketing their cultural and historical attractions,” said Governor Chet Culver. “This promotion will hopefully provide ideas for Iowa families who are looking to have fun and learn about what Iowa has to offer.”

The new communities that will receive the advertising space valued at approximately $60,000 are Appanoose County, Charles City, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Decorah, Perry and Valley Junction. They join Adams County, Clinton, Coon Rapids, Dubuque, Fairfield, Guttenberg, Jackson County, Mason City and Sioux City, which have had trailer advertising space since 2007.

ABD Administrator Stephen Larson said, “The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division is proud to promote tourism and economic development in Iowa by providing these rolling billboards to the Iowa Great Places program.”

The graphics, made from an adhesive vinyl, have an average life expectancy of seven years. Including the current and upcoming trailers, the total contribution ABD is making to the Iowa Great Places program is valued around $6.7 million.

“These trucks log thousands of miles every year as they travel across the state, and they publicize Iowa’s Great Places communities to hundreds of thousands of motorists on our highways and interstates,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Cyndi Pederson said. “We are thankful to the Alcoholic Beverages Division for supporting the Iowa Great Places program.”

More information about Iowa Great Places is available at IowaGreatPlaces.gov.