Illinois Destinations Associations Fall Meeting - Outing at the Danville Dans Stadium
Welcome back to another episode of the Outdoor Adventure Series, where today we’re taking you out to the historic Danville Dan’s Baseball Stadium for a unique blend of networking, community, and baseball nostalgia.
Whether you love travel, tourism, or just a good old-fashioned ballgame, today’s episode celebrates local pride, hidden treasures, and the beauty of enjoying what's in your own backyard.
INTERVIEWS
1. Kristen Ball - Illinois Destinations Association (IDA)
- Kristen’s role and responsibilities as Association Manager
- Collaboration with the board of directors and the legislative team
- Planning events and education courses for members
- Advocacy with the state legislature
- Providing resources for Convention and Visitor Bureaus to drive tourism in Illinois
- Illinois Destinations Association: https://www.ildestinations.org/
2. Interview with Jessica Miller, Matthew Bean, Bailey Dorn (Visit Bloomington Normal)
- Introductions
- Jessica Miller: Digital Marketing Manager
- Matthew Bean: Director of Brand and Marketing
- Bailey Dorn: Destination Experience Manager
- Overview of the Bloomington-Normal region (“BN”)
- Central location in Illinois, the university's presence
- Outreach to McLean County and surrounding areas
- Unique selling points of Bloomington-Normal as a destination
- “Big, small town” feel with accessible and affordable experiences
- Robust events calendar, family-friendly environment
- Constitution Trail Bike Path: https://www.visitbn.org/visit/constitution-trail/
- Route 66: https://www.visitbn.org/illinoisroute66/
- local lakes and outdoor spaces
- Visit Bloomington-Normal - https://www.visitbn.org/
3. Interview with Tom Fricke and Mary Ellen - Danville Dans Organization
- Tom’s volunteer role and contributions
- PA announcer, PR, souvenir sales, coordination of interns (“Danterns”)
- Commitment to maintaining baseball and the Dans in Danville
- History of Danville Stadium
- Construction: initiated by a local businessman and the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Branch Rickey
- The stadium's origins in 1945
- Key historic figures and teams: Brooklyn Dodgers, Giants, White Sox, Brewers
- The Danville Dans: https://danvilledans.org/
NEXT STEPS
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KEYWORDS
Illinois Destinations Association, Danville Area Visitors Bureau, Visit Bloomington-Normal, Route 66, Constitution Bike Trail, Danville Dans, Outdoor Adventure Series
#IllinoisDestinationsAssociation #DanvilleAreaVisitorsBureau #VisitBN #Route66 #ConstitutionBikeTrail #DanvilleDans #OutdoorAdventureSeries
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