Tourism Excellence Hall of Fame

Congratulations to the class of 2010!

Malabar Farm Restaurant
The Great Mohican Indian Pow Wow
Ohio State Reformatory
Renaissance Performing Arts Association
Weirick Communications, Inc

Since 2005, the Mansfield/Richland County Convention & Visitors Bureau has honored those members, individuals, events and partnerships that have demonstrated excellence and helped to propel our local tourism industry forward.

We wanted to call attention to those who made major contributions to Richland County’s tourism industry and educate the public at large how their contribution to played a significant role in strengthening it.  Tourism Excellence Award winners are presented their award and honored at our Annual Meeting.

Nominees must meet at least 4 of the following criteria to be eligible to be considered for an award of excellence:

1. Increased tourism in Richland County and North Central Ohio.

2. Significantly added to the tourism product offering of Richland County and North Central Ohio.

3. Helped gain positive statewide and/or national Public Relations or Press

4. Made significant improvements to their lodging property, attraction, recreational or food services facility, sports venue, etc.

5. Advanced tourism through a unique concept, niche, new market, or collaborative partnership.

6. Having achieved sustained excellence in tourism

Below are honorees listed by they year they received their award of excellence.

2005
NASCAR Craftsman Series (Mansfield Motorsports Speedway)
Johnny Appleseed Outdoor Drama (Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center, Inc.)
Ceely Rose (Mansfield Playhouse & Malabar Farm)
Ghost Hunts (Ohio State Reformatory)
Ohio State Men’s Bowling Tournament (Mansfield Men’s Bowling Association, Lex Lanes & Park Lanes)
Richland Racing Hospitality” (SCCA National Championship Runoffs)

2006
Bible Walk (For Sustained Excellence)
Richland County Fairgrounds (For Sustained Excellence)
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course/True Sports (For Sustained Excellence)
Richland Carrousel Park/Historic Carousel District (For Sustained Excellence)
Elektro (Mansfield Memorial Museum)

2007
Mohican Wildlife Weekend (MWW Committee: Malabar Farm, Gorman Nature Center, Ohio Bird Sanctuary, Mohican School in the Out of Doors, Mohican State Park & Resort)
Splash Harbor (Comfort Inn - Bellville)
Chautauqua (Ohio State-Mansfield)
Miss Ohio Scholarship Program (Miss Ohio Scholarship Program)

2008
Kingwood Center (Kingwood Center)
Louis Bromfield Visitors Education Center (Malabar Farm Foundation-Malabar Farm State Park)
Vertical Descent Tubing Park (Snow Trails)
Eatmor Bundt Company & Twisted Fig Tea Room (Joyce Wells)
Deer Ridge Golf Club (Ted Pasko & Keith Wright)
Haunted Prison Experience (Ohio State Reformatory-Haunted X Team)

2009
Blueberry Patch Greenhouse & Blossom’s Café (Lisa Beilstein)
Ed Pickens’ Café On Main (Ed Pickens)
Prairie Peddler Festival (Mandie Willis)
Squirrel’s Den (LaDonna Secrist)
Mansfield Bicentennial (Doug Versaw & Dalton Derr)

2010
Malabar Farm Restaurant (Chef Dan Bailey and Louis Andres)
The Great Mohican Indian Pow Wow (Chris Snively)
Ohio State Reformatory (Total renovations to date including Museum, Central Guard Room)
Renaissance Performing Arts Association (Renaissance Theatre Renovation)
Weirick Communications, Inc (Amy Weirick)