"I think it would hurt us," said Jerome Mayor Al Palmieri in response to news stories that Jerome State Historic Park has been targeted for closure.
Palmieri said many tourists to the area travel with a list of state parks. Once they visit the Jerome State Historic Park, they're exposed to a lot of historic information about Jerome that leads them into town.
"A lot of visitors in Jerome have stopped at the state park," Palmieri said. "It is a good place to get history on Jerome."
Local reaction comes after news reports that State Parks Director Ken Travous will recommend that the Parks Board add three more state parks to a list of parks targeted for closure. In addition to Jerome State Historic Park, Travous has added Tonto Natural Bridge State Park near Payson and Red Rock State Park in Sedona.
Mike Rollins, park manager at Jerome State Historic Park, said he has not heard yet when the park would be closed if it were selected for closure. Rollins says his understanding is that, if the park, which has been open since 1965, does close, one person will remain on site at the park. He said that would likely be him.
Rollins said the park has already laid off one part-time position. He believes the other three full-time employees would be reassigned to state parks with a shortage of staff.
Tom Pitts, president of the Jerome Chamber of Commerce and a Jerome business owner, said the park is a major cornerstone of the area. "The bottom line is that Jerome's entire existence is based on cultural tourism."
Pitts is also secretary of the Jerome Historical Society and a member of the Sedona Verde Valley Tourism Council with representatives from Jerome, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Camp Verde and Sedona. He feels closing the Jerome park would have a serious negative impact on the entire area.
"I think it would be an absolute disaster," he said.
Clarkdale Mayor Doug Von Gausig feels that Jerome State Historic Park is an integral part of a bigger tourism picture. "The Jerome State Park is one of the things people come here to see."
Von Gausig said the Jerome park ties in with Tuzigoot National Monument, Verde Canyon Railroad and Dead Horse Ranch State Park as part of the draw that brings tourists to the area. He said closing the Jerome State Park would have a tremendous impact on both Clarkdale and Cottonwood.
"You have to have several attractions here to get people to come and spend a night," Von Gausig said.
