Volume 2, No. 6. March 22, 2002
When
in Lubbock. . .
Joyland Amusement Park doesn't usually
get too ambitious about its marketing reach. The small, family park serves the
201,000-population city of Lubbock and draws from other South Plains counties
of west Texas. This summer, however, Joyland's advertising clout will reach
around the world, thanks to a little help from Rome.
The Vatican Museum is sending 31 medieval frescoes from its collection to Lubbock
for an exhibit at the Museum of Texas Tech University from June 2 to September
15. Called, "Traditions and Renewal: Medieval Frescoes from the Vatican Museum,"
the collection features rare works painted by members of the Roman school from
1250 to 1340. This is the first time the Vatican Museum is loaning a collection
of its works to a single city, and after the exhibit closes in Lubbock the works
will return to Rome where they will stay locked up for at least 20 years.
Because of this exclusivity, Lubbock is expecting up to 400,000 visitors from
around the world to descend on Texas Tech to view the exhibit. There, the tourists
will get a booklet about the exhibit, the university and Lubbock, a book that
contains sponsorships by local hotels, restaurants and businesses: among them,
Joyland, which is placing a $2 coupon off the regular $12.95 admission ticket
to the park. The ad also briefly describes the 14-acre, 30-ride park.
"When these people fly in they will have some extra time in the evenings," said
Kristi Dean, one of Joyland's owners. "So, we want them to go out and have some
fun." She also supported the book for its potential to refract the Vatican exhibit
spotlight onto the rest of Lubbock. "It's important just to get the word out
to people when they visit that there is more here than just Texas Tech and Bobby
Knight," she said, referring to the college's basketball coach who gained notoriety
as head coach at Indiana University.
Admission to the exhibit is free but will require reservations. For more information,
go to www.vaticanexhibit.com
and www.vaticanexhibit.org.
To check out Joyland, go to www.joylandpark.com.
