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Hill Outdo
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Shaneequa Evans
Emma Shillman
Emma Hill
Katherine Brown

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Service History and Background Information

Literature Review

Parks and Recreation Visitors

Awareness of Parks and Recreation Facilities
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
Learning Opportunities
Results

7
10
11
13
14

Audience Analysis

16

Ethnography

17

Trail Signage
Observations
Improvements and Conclusion

17
18
23

Situational Analysis

24

Competitive Analysis

25

Goals and Objectives

30

Creative Analysis

31

Creative Pieces

32

Media Schedule

49

Bibliography

51

Contact Information

53

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Executive Summary
The City of Rock Hills Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) Department actively
contributes to the economic and tourism growth in the City of Rock Hill. Over the
course of 75 years, PRT has strived to be the leader in developing trails and greenways
while increasing sport and ecotourism for the entire community. The Rock Hill Outdoor
Center is one of 19 parks and facilities available for the community. Currently, It is in the
process of becoming a 250-acre public recreation space featuring the Novant Health
BMX Super cross Track, the Giordana Velodrome, a mountain bike course, Rock Hill
Outdoor Center Greens, and the Piedmont Medical Center Trail.
The main purpose of this report is to analyze the current and potential use of the
Rock Hill Outdoor Center and the Piedmont Medical Center Trail. It also examines the
interest and feasibility of building an educational facility at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center.
Observational and ethnographic research was used to determine the visitors and
activities of the Piedmont Medical Center Trail in addition to several research articles.
Based on the information collected, Seek Carolina developed an integrated
marketing campaign to promote the center, trail, and potential Outdoor Discovery
Center. The campaign target audience is families in which the parents are 27 to 45
years of age with children 13 years of age and younger. According to the 2010 census,
York Countys total population was 226, 073 with 74% of the population being white.
The potential Outdoor Discovery Center located in 29732 zip code area, has a medium
income of $55,000.
There are many strengths to having an outdoor center such as encouraging
family togetherness while promoting continuous learning. A dilemma facing the Rock

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Hill Outdoor Center is the decision to build the facility onsite. If an educational facility is
built, it should have activities for all potential target markets such as families, school
groups, and incidental visitors.
To promote the Rock Hill Outdoor Education Center, Seek Carolina plans to
implement traditional, online and outdoor media and signage. The goal is to target
families in the area and raise awareness of the Rock Hill Outdoor Education Center as a
place for family togetherness, learning and healthy living. In order to do so, Seek
Carolina created a slogan that will attract families: play. learn. discover. nature awaits.
The creatives will feature families and use bright colors to stand out.

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Service History and Background Information

The City of Rock Hills Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) Department has
been actively involved in providing wholesome activities, services and facilities for
sports and leisure for nearly 75 years. It has a long history of successful parks and
recreation facilities responsible for economic and tourism growth in the City of Rock Hill.
Moving forward, PRT aims to improve infrastructure, develop trails and
greenways, develop partnerships, develop partnerships and increase sports and
ecotourism. Rock Hill PRT has 19 parks and facilities available for the community. The
Rock Hill Outdoor Center is just one of Rock Hill those many parks and is the focus of
this campaign. It is in the process of becoming a 250-acre public recreation space. It
will include the Novant Health BMX Supercross Track, the Giordana Velodrome, a
mountain bike course, Rock Hill Outdoor Center Greens, and the Piedmont Medical
Center Trail.
Since the 1990s, PRT has focused on offering programs to the community that
gives an opportunity to experience and learn about the outdoors. PRTs outdoor
education programs allows the community to experience nature through kayaking,
hiking, outdoor summer camps and partnerships with local schools.
To expand on their outdoor learning programs, PRT is interested in building an
Outdoor Education Center at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center. The Piedmont Medical
Center Trail is one of the main ways to get connected with nature and will act as a
foundation for the Outdoor Education Center.
This project serves to analyze the current use and potential use of the Rock Hill
Outdoor Center and the Piedmont Medical Center Trail. Observational and

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ethnographic research will be used to determine the primary visitors and activities of the
Piedmont Medical Center Trail. The research will also assess the interest and feasibility
of building an educational facility at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center. Using that information
along with outside sources, Seek Carolina will develop an integrated marketing
campaign to promote the Rock Hill Outdoor Center, Piedmont Medical Center Trail and
potential Outdoor Discovery Center.

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Literature Review
In an effort to better understand the importance and factors surrounding an
outdoor education center, secondary research was conducted through juried articles
about park facilities. The research focuses on who visits parks, awareness of park
facilities and two important motivations for the use of park facilities: promoting fitness
and learning opportunities.
Park and Recreation Visitors
The Rock Hill Outdoor Center is a place where families are able to bond,
exercise and enjoy nature. Families are a critical part of the Rock Hill Outdoor Centers
three main target visitors, along with students and incidental visitors. To look closer at
who attends parks and recreation facilities, demographics data was taken from sevenmile radius of an urban area of Cleveland Metroparks' newly opened Ohio & Erie Canal
Reservation. The demographics can be closely compared to that of Rock Hill, South
Carolina. The reason the study was conducted was because as the population ages,
there is an increase in racial/ethnic diversity and population shifts can affect the park.
Age was found to be the strongest predictor of support/nonsupport for additional park
land and resources. The study also showed that older adults and African Americans
preferred a recreational park to a conservational park than younger adults and whites.
Race was also found to have a strong influence because blacks were more likely to not
visit the park than other races.
People who lived in urban areas their whole life were more likely to prefer
developed parks than conservational parks. The people who live in suburban and rural
areas were more likely to prefer natural forest environments. Blacks from both areas

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preferred outdoor areas with built and developed components (picnic tables, ball fields,
paved trails). Blacks were less likely than whites to prefer wild-land recreation areas.
Blacks focus more on social interaction while whites focus more desired environments.
Blacks and whites equally enjoyed hunting, fishing, and collecting forest products.
The data found in Cleveland Metroparks' research was comprised of 50% male
and 50% female. 78% of the participants indicated that they favored nature-based
opportunities (picnic areas, fishing, and hiking trails) and 22% preferred organized
activity opportunities (tennis courts, jogging tracks, ball fields). This implies that a large
portion of visitors prefer to create their own activities instead of having them provided.
In a survey that researched perceptions of greenways and thread trails, it was found
that there is a significant connotation between physical activity on the trial and gender.
There were more women walking on the trail than men compared to percentage of men
cycling was significantly greater than women. The survey also revealed that there is no
significant association between demographic and trail characteristics (Price, Reed and
Muthukrishnan, 2012).
Cohen, Marsh, Willamsom, Han, Derose, McKenzie used the System on
Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) and surveyed pocket park
users to assess park use in low-income neighborhoods. Pocket parks are parks that
once were vacant lots or community garden that where turned into recreational area
that features a walking path, benches and/or playground equipment. Their studied
revealed that the pocket parks typically served proportionally more Latinos compared to
the neighborhood parks. Since the Piedmont Medical Center Trail is smaller than a
neighborhood park and has a similar structure to a pocket park, this study provides

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helpful insight on the effects parks can have for families and people of low-income.
Since the pocket parks are smaller than neighborhood parks and located close to
residence areas, they encourage local residents to be physically active by being a
valued community destination (Cohen, Williamson, Han, Derose and McKenzie, 2013).
Many parks have encountered various challenges when trying to attract
minorities. In the article, Creating Racially/Ethnically Inclusive Partnerships In Natural
Resource Management And Outdoor Recreation: The Challenges, Issues, And
Strategies, Richard Makopondo focused on how to create partnerships between the
park and minority groups. The Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area Partnership
conducted the study. The study was completed in two phases: the first was by
observation, personal interviews and informal discussions, the second was by personal
interviews with purposely selected representatives of the Boston Harbor Islands
Partnership because officials of the federal, state, and local government agencies; and
key executives of minority based environmental and neighborhood social justice
organizations. The purpose of the study was to include racial and ethnic minorities in
natural resource management, outdoor recreation activities, and programs (Makopondo,
2006).
The study found that racial and ethnic minorities and low-income communities
are more preoccupied with quality-of-life issues and think of the environment in terms of
quality-of-life, social and environmental justice issues. The study also found four ways
to create a racially and ethnically inclusive partnership. One: recognize minorities as
stakeholders and invite all relevant minority-based community organizations and
community leaders to participate in partnership from the beginning. Two: to create a

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partnership, one must get involved with issues of interest to the local communities.
Three: Activities and programs must be relevant to the lives of the minorities. Four:
Create personal relationships with representatives of the minority groups (Makopondo,
2006). These four methods could be beneficial to the City of Rock Hills Department of
Parks, Recreation and Tourism as ways to increase the potential for minorities to use
the park. Rock Hill is home to a diverse population and it is important to attract a wide
range of ethnicities.
Awareness of Parks and Recreation Facilities
A survey was conducted at six Chicago area parks to understand the relationship
between information use and awareness of the parks. In the past, researchers seemed
to find that visiting parks in urban communities was a result of routine decision making.
The results of the survey showed that people were aware of the park because of
conversations with friends rather than seeing printed and electronic media.
Respondents from households with a child under 18 knew about the park from family
and friends. Respondents from households with no children under 18 used radio and
television. The under 25-age group seemed to be more awareness of parks than the
older age groups. People in the less than $7,500 income group were more aware of
parks than the other groups (Payne, 2002).
The survey researching perceptions of greenways and thread trails found that
word of mouth (54.2%) and newspapers (13.8%) were the top two sources of
information of new parks. These outlets would be valuable to explore as means of
advertisement.

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Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

An outdoor learning center will play an important role in helping children and
families stay active. According to the article The Potential for Pocket Parks to Increase
Physical Activity, less than five percent of adults and half of children get the
recommended amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (Cohen, Williamson,
Han, Derose and McKenzie, 2013).
Obesity has become a major concern in the U.S over the past years and health
officials are constantly trying to promote a healthy lifestyle to avoid the negative effects
of obesity (Bocarro and Wells, 2009). The main concern health officials have is the rise
in the number of children who are becoming obese and what parents are doing to make
sure their child is healthy. According to Making A Difference through Parks and
Recreation: Reflections On Physical Activity, Health, and Wellness Research, 15% of
children and adolescents are estimated to be obese and nearly 30% are at risk.
Families, young adults, and children suffering from health problems related to
obesity can greatly benefit from parks and recreation (Casper, Harrolle and Kelly 2013).
According to the article, Gender Differences in Self- Report Physical Activity and
Recreation Facility Use Among Latinos in Wake County, North Carolina, Latinos have a
greater disproportionate obesity rate compared to other populations. The study focused
on physical activities through the use of parks and recreation services, a form of leisuretime physical activity (LTPA), with a goal of informing health interventions in Latino
communities. Public parks are often critical resources for physical activity in minority
communities (Casper, Harrolle and Kelly 2013).

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This means parents must help stop child obesity. Parks and recreational events
are effective ways to combat obesity and the risk factors along with it. Parks and
recreation departments are increasingly becoming known as partners in promoting
physical activity and preventing obesity (Bruton, 2011). Fifty-one percent of Americans
do not meet the national physical activity recommendations. In an effort to combat this
issue, public health professionals have recognized the importance of using ecological
approaches to promote behavior change (Price, Reed and Muthukrishnan, 2012).
Parents should bring kids to parks or hiking trials and support being outdoors as a way
for kids to become and stay healthy. Candice Brutons article states that, parks and
recreational spots were among the top three locations for kids to endure physical
activity.
Additionally, multi-sector partnerships that involve parks and recreation
departments in conjunction with public health departments and other community
organizations have been identified as a key strategy for increasing physical activity and
decreasing obesity (Bruton, 2011). A web-based survey found that about a third of
parks and recreation departments in North Carolina participate in formal partnership to
promote healthy lifestyles (Bruton, 2011). An addition of an outdoor education center
would attract families to the Rock Hill Outdoor Center area and may, in turn, foster
healthier lifestyles.
Parks and recreation areas often have facilities such as restrooms, picnic tables,
water fountains and play equipment that are very valuable to visitors but are also a hefty
maintenance expense. According to the article, Determining Economic Benefits of Park
Trials: Management Implications, South Carolina utilizes federal and state grants to

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keep facilities and hiking trails usable to visitors (Chi-Ok and Hammitt, 2009). In 2001,
83% of the population 16 years and older were using walking trails for pleasure and
hiking (Chi-Ok and Hammitt, 2009). This statistic proves that a majority of the
community will use an outdoor learning center and the Piedmont Medical Center Trail.
Having an outdoor education center would be costly for the City of Rock Hill but would
add value to the community. Since many people attend walking trails to be outdoors and
stay fit, it is beneficial for the community to build an outdoor education center and
maintain the Piedmont Medical Center Trail.
Learning Opportunities
As a way to enhance the Rock Hill Outdoor Center, it would be beneficial to
incorporate some form of learning center for visitors. In a study done on water-based
parks in Florida, researchers discovered that learning is one of the major areas of
motivation for recreation-based visitors (Stein, Denny, Pennisi, 2003). Since learning is
one of the major areas of motivation, a study was conducted to learn how best to
provide the learning opportunities.
In order to identify how to integrate environmental education, researchers used
two methods of data collection: a survey and interviews. Between on-site interviews and
surveys completed by cabin visitors, they examined 426 questionnaires. The
questionnaire consisted of 20 questions about participation in recreational natural areas.
The study presented benefits that were most important to recreation visitors and they
found that spending time with a group or family ranked highest followed by relaxation,
escape and learning. They divided the visitors into four categories based on their
interest in learning from highest to lowest interest: cabin learners, cabin non-learners,

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on-site learners and on-site non-learners. It was concluded that learning was still
important for non-learners but it is not a primary motivation for visiting water-based
recreation areas (Stein, Denny, Pennisi, 2003).
Within the research, childrens programs and day camps were not preferred by
any of the four groups. Rating the highest in preference for learning facilities were
interpretative signs, visitor centers and museums. The main conclusion of this study
shows that visitors take different approaches to learning. Some visitors want to learn
from experience and exploring the outdoors while others want to learn from facilities and
services (Stein, Denny, Pennisi, 2003). The results of this study imply that it is
important to cater to a variety of learners. For some visitors, a museum would suffice
but others may need activities and interaction as a motivation to learn. For the Rock Hill
Outdoor Center, it would be beneficial to have interpretative signage as well as a
visitors center with information about the area. The addition of an Outdoor Discovery
Center would attract visitors to the area.
Results
After thorough research of issues pertaining to outdoor recreation facilities, it can
be concluded that an outdoor education center would be beneficial to the community
and visitors of the Piedmont Medical Center Trail and Catawba River. Studies found
that promoting healthy lifestyles should be a goal of the Rock Hill Outdoor Center.
Minorities are an important group to target in marketing efforts and families will
appreciate a learning facility as well as natural areas to explore individually.

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Seek Carolina proposes that the City of Rock Hills Department of Parks,
Recreation and Tourism build an Outdoor Discovery Center that houses a learning
facility with exhibits, documentaries, guest speakers and classrooms.

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Audience Analysis
The target audience of this campaign is families in which the parents are
between 27 and 45 and the children are 13 years old and younger. They make at least
$40,000 a year and are college educated. One or both of the parents have full-time jobs
and like to spend time with their families when they arent working. They live in York
County.
According to the 2010 Census, York County has a total population of 226, 073.
74% of the population is white, 19% are African American, 1.5% Asian and 4.5% other.
The potential Outdoor Discovery Center is in the 29732 zip code which has a medium
income of $55,000 and the average age is 37. This data helps construct the target
market of middle age families making between $40,000-$70,000 annually.
Their ideal day includes spending time with their children and being active. Their
children are involved in clubs and lessons and they see the outdoors as a nice escape
from reality. The target market falls into the New Homesteaders and White Picker
Fence lifestyles (PRIZM). They read Parenting Magazine, have active social lives and
lead health-conscious lifestyles. Their lives are child-centered and are adventureseekers. They enjoy adventure and like to camp, kayak and hike. They have pets and
care about animals and the environment. They want to teach their children to have a
healthy lifestyle and to always challenge themselves to learn. They are vaguely familiar
with the Piedmont Medical Center Trail but have a desire for an educational visit to the
trail area.

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Ethnography
Using the ethnography method of observation, each individual in our group
visited the Piedmont Medical Center Trail at River Walk to closely observe the people
and pets that were at the trail. Each member of the group observed the trial at different
times and dates throughout the first week of March.
Introduction to the Trail
The Piedmont Medical Center Trial at River walk in Rock Hill, South Carolina, is
a hidden treasure that easily goes unnoticed behind the Riverwalk housing
development. The entrance to the Riverwalk community is along Cherry Road, which is
one of the largest and busiest roads in Rock Hill. Riverwalk and the Piedmont Medical
Center Trail are located along the border of Rock Hill and Fort Mill. It is an area that
has a lot of visibility from traffic passing by and is complemented by a new bridge
crossing the Catawba River that has walking and biking paths. Pulling up to the trail
there are no official handicap parking spots but there are spots that are still handicap
accessible. The 2. 4 mile long paved nature trail is free and opened to the public.
Providing people access to the River, the trail rich in history, invites people from varies
walks of life and culture.
Trial Signage
There are two signs as you near the trail. The first is a fairly large sign that
explains the Riverwalk community as a whole. The second sign is at the entrance to the
trail that explains the trail. Each quarter of a mile, there was a mile marker letting visitors
know how far theyve traveled. At the opening of the trail, there was a sign and
trashcan for pet owners to bag and throw away waste from their pets. Also, there was a

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sign reminding visitors to be courteous and share the trail with others. Overall the trial
signage could be improved. There could be sings along the trial with historic information
or information about the nature and animals. Another improvement that should take
place is to have more road signage, so visitors know where they are going and what to
expect.
Observation 1: Sunday, March 2nd at 4:00 p.m-6:00 p.m.
Sundays forecast was in the upper 60s and the sun was shining. The parking lot
was full of cars as people parked along the street. There was the number of people
riding bikes on the trail. People who rode their bikes tend to ride together as a
family/group. There were also a few individual bike riders. The bike riders were polite,
and showed respect to the others who shared the trail. When they rode behind
someone walking they would announce their location
There were about six people who rode bikes with baskets on the front. These
people tended to be mostly women with smaller children. The mother and daughter rode
bikes with the basket on the front. While the father and son rode sports bike liked the
ones seen in the BMX. The mother and daughter used their baskets to carry their water
bottles and food from Subway
A lot of people on the trail walked their dogs. Pet owners seem to stop and talk to
other pet owners about their dogs while walking them. When small children wanted to
pet the dog, their parents would ask first before allowing their children to do so.
Observation 2: Wednesday, March 5th at 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
During this observation period, the weather played a big factor is the use of the
trail. There was significant cloud cover and the temperatures began in the 50s before

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dropping down to the mid-40s. There were not many visitors on the trial, which may be
a result of the weather conditions.
The largest populations of visitors at the trail during the two-hour time slot were
older men, most likely in their 50s and 60s, walking or jogging by themselves. For the
first 20 minutes, they were the only people on the trail. Fifteen visitors observed were
men walking or jogging by themselves. They were all wearing exercise clothes and
stayed on the trial for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Six of the men were wearing
headphones and one man was listening to music out loud. The majority of the
individual men were white.
The second most common visitors observed were couples. Most of the couples
were middle-aged and had a more leisurely pace than the men. One couple in their
early-30s stopped to take pictures alongside the river. The wife was pregnant and the
couple appeared to be wearing work clothes. An older black couple walked slowly
along the trail holding hands and chatting about people they knew. Another couple
power-walked and wore ankle weights. The woman was slightly out of shape and the
man was fit.
The couples I saw were very quiet and were interacting very little. Other people
were silent as they walked by. As far as interacting with other groups, everyone
seemed to be very friendly with one another and was courteous of sharing the trail with
other visitors.
Although there were not many women walking the trail on Wednesday, the ones
that were there had work clothes on with tennis shoes. They looked like they had come

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straight from work. They were walking quickly and appeared to have the intention of
getting a good exercise. Most of the women were wearing headphones.
Observation 3: March 7th, 2014 at 5:00pm- 6:45pm
The first thing that immediately was observed was a young pregnant white
woman walking a dog. The young lady looked like she was in her late twenties to early
thirties and appeared to be about six or seven months pregnant. She was accompanied
by another young lady who was pushing a young child under the age of two in a stroller
while also walking a dog. They appeared to be young mothers who care about being fit
and healthy. They both were carrying water bottles.
Once on the trail, there were a number of fathers and grandfathers alone on the trail
with their children or grandchildren without a woman present. There were older white
men roughly about mid-30s to about early 50s with children from three months to
thirteen years of age. It was interesting to see older men pushing baby strollers and the
baby carrier on their chests and they were walking with other men.
While walking on the trail there where a several Latina women walking/jogging with their
children. The children were either walking in front or behind their mothers, while her
hands were full carrying water bottles and other belongings. They were not
accompanied by a male partner or husband. The women seem content with smiles on
their faces as they were interacting with their children.
While walking on the trail there were also a lot in interracial couples. There were
about five Black and White couples. Three of the couples where white women with
black men, while the other two where white men with black women. These couples all
varied in age from early twenties to about early forties. Two out of the three couples

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were the women were white; they had their children with them. It is safe to assume that
the black men with them were the childrens fathers because as they walked or rode
their bikes the children would call them dad and tell them to keep up.
Observation 4: Saturday, March 8th at 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
This was a beautiful day in Rock Hill the sun was shining and the temperature hit
about 78 degrees. People and their pets were enjoying the sun. The trail has dedicated
areas where people can find bags to pick up after their dogs and throw away their waste
in the trashcans. The dogs were with their owners were all on leashes. There was a
white male who was probably in his early 60s who was riding his bike and his dog was
on a leash running by him. One Caucasian male who was in his mid-20s was running
with is dog while he was listening to music on his iPhone. An older Caucasian couple in
their late 50s was walking by holding hands while the male was walking their dog.
There was also more of a younger crowed or people who were alone on the trials
using their smart phones to listen to music. There was a Caucasian female on the
bench listening to her music after she went walking. An African American woman who
was with her son that looked about 11, she was powerwalking and listening to her music
while her son was walking behind her. He did not look like he was happy to be there.
Two Caucasian women were powerwalking and gossiping while three children ran a
head of them. The children seemed to be friends there was two boys and one girl all
looking to be below the age 10. The boys were leaving the girl out and running ahead
while playing with sticks.
Saturday had a diversity of visitors; there was a family that looked to be Middle
Eastern who were walking. The dad was walking next to his daughter who looked 4 and

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his son who looked 8. The mother and what looked to be the grandfather were biking
behind them. Older African American couples were walking together while holding
hands.
Observation 5: Monday, March 10, 3 at 2:30 -5:00 p.m.
Monday had a temperature of 77 degrees; this was a great day to watch people
on the trail. There were more moms out on the trail with their kids and dogs. One mom
was in her late 20s with 3 children. The mom was jogging while the 2 younger children
were in the stroller. The mom was wearing a heart rate monitor. The older child was
walking behind the mother.
Another couple was in their mid-20s, they were walking and talking about how
beautiful it was outside and they were deciding what to eat for dinner. A lot of the people
who were either walking or running were talking on the phone. There was a group of 3
bikers who were dressed in biking clothing, had water packs on their back and were
biking up and down the hills together.
One family was sitting on a bench right on the river and they were eating lunch
together. The mom and dad were in their early 30s and their son was around 5 years
old. Next to them was a couple in their mid-50s who were taking pictures of the river.
The families were very interesting in how they interacted. Most of the children
were between the ages of two and seven and the families I saw were either white or
mixed race. The children all seemed happy and entertained while the parents seemed a
bit tired.

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Observation 6: Monday, March 10th at 8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m.

The morning was a little chilly, but with the sun out and so were the people.
There was a Caucasian woman with a powerwalk. She seemed to be in her 30s and I
guessed the baby was her because I saw a wedding ring on her left finger. There was
also a Caucasian man who looked to be about 35 running with his large dog listening to
music.
There were lots of mothers or maybe babysitters out with strollers or little
children. There was a group of elderly ladies who looked to have been friends for a
while. They were Caucasian and I could hear them speaking. They were gossiping and
discussing their plans for the day. They made some plans to shop later in the week.
There was also a Caucasian man about 55 taking picture just with his smart
phone of the Catawba River and the sun. He was sitting on the bench within the first
mile of the walk. He also had a coffee mug with him.
Improvements and Conclusion
The trial seemed to be the most popular when the weather was nice to be in the
outdoors. There is also a diverse group of people who use the trial. They maybe young,
old, alone, with the family or friends people tend to enjoy the beauty of the trial. The
trial may lack signage, but people are attending. Families will become even more
popular on the trial once the education center is built. Once the center is built Rock Hill
needs to build better and clean restrooms. Not many people were using the porter
potties.

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Situational Analysis
The primary dilemma of the Rock Hill Outdoor Center is whether or not to build a
learning facility, the Outdoor Discovery Center, onsite. Seek Carolina has determined
that if an educational facility is added, it should have activities for all potential target
markets including families, school groups, and incidental visitors. A situational analysis
of the Outdoor Discovery Center is outlined below:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Provides eco-learning opportunities

to local schools
Promotes continuous learning
Bring together members of the
community
Encourages family togetherness
The potential Outdoor Discovery
Center is conveniently located
between Rock Hill and Fort Mill
Opportunities:

Overhead costs would require an

admission/membership fee to the
public
Increasing costs of maintenance
and everyday expenses
Potential for members of the City
Council to disagree with the need
for the Outdoor Discovery Center

Recent increase in community

development and growth in Rock
Hill
Job creation during the construction
and after the center is open
Promote community awareness of
nature and the history of the
Catawba River
Promote river and wildlife advocacy

Competitors of the York County and

Charlotte/Mecklenburg education
centers
Potential for traffic problems on
Cherry Road and surrounding
intersections
Ecological concerns including
flooding and erosion

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Threats:

Competitive Analysis
The potential Outdoor Education Center has competition in many different
outlets. Museums and learning centers in close proximity to the center are the primary
competitors to the educational aspect of the center. The natural aspect of the center
faces competitors that have walking trails and nature learning centers.
The Museum of York County
The Museum of York County offers exhibits and
programs that are geared towards natural history,
cultural history, the arts, providing content for adults and children. The museum
provides hands-on learning opportunities for the guests. The Settlemyre Plantetarium is
the only totally digital, full-dome theater in the north-central region of South Carolina or
the Charlotte metro area. The museum has a store that offers works by local artists,
regional food items, and educational toys. An adult ticket is $5, seniors $4, and youth
$3. Admission is free every Sunday. The museum is located 7.2 miles away from the
Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center. It also has a lot of publicity and brand recognition
that the Outdoor Education Center does not yet have.

Cherry Park
Cherry Park is located on 68 acres of land. The park has softball and
baseball facilities, walking and biking trails, restrooms, and outdoor
shelter with picnic tables, a playground, an enclosed shelter with a
fireplace and a kitchen area. Cherry Park can be enjoyed year-round
and provides athletic programs for youth and adults. The park also

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hosts some of the largest regional, state, and national tournaments in the country.
There is no admission fee, however, some special events may require an admission
fee. Cherry Park is open 7 a.m. 11 p.m. March 1 to October 31 and 7 a.m. 9 p.m.
November 1 to February 28. Cherry Park is located 2.7 miles away from the Rock Hill
Outdoor Discovery Center.

Discovery Place
Discovery Place is located in Charlotte, NC
and it is a science education center. Visitors
explore exhibits in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics in an interactive and informal setting. The museum also
has a IMAX Dome Theatre. The IMAX Dome Theatre offers an up-close movie
experience and it is the largest IMAX Dome Theatre in the Carolinas. The tickets cost
$15 for adults and $12 for children. The IMAX tickets are $10 for adults and $9 for
children. If one ticket is purchased for the Museum and IMAX it is $20 for adults and
$17 for children. It is located 22.2 miles away from the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery
Center.

Charlotte Nature Museum

In the Charlotte Nature Museum,
visitors can walk among free-flying
butterflies, observe live animals and
insects. There are daily puppet shows and hands-on activities daily. There are daily
puppet shows and hands-on activities. The museum is centered around nature-based
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learning. The museum focuses on ages 3 7. Ticket pricing is $8 per person. The
museum also offers summer camps. It is located 20.7 miles away from the Rock Hill
Outdoor Discovery Center.

Historic Brattonsville
Historic Brattonsville is part of York Countys Culture and Heritage
Museums. Historic Brattonsville exists today as a 775-acre,
internationally known historical site, and is one of the most
important and heavily visited cultural attractions in South Carolina.
The plantation is open Tuesday-Sunday and has an admission
ranging from $3-$6. Historic Brattonsville has a visitors center onsite that would
compete against the potential Outdoor Discovery Center. Historic Brattonsville is
located 16.3 miles from the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center.

Landsford Canal State Park

Landsford Canal State Park is nationally recognized for
having the largest population of Rocky Shoals Spider
Lilies in the world, which draws a lot of visitors to the trails
there along the Catawba River. The park is state funded
and open year-round with a fee to enter. It has a canoe and kayak launch area to the
Catawba River and trails with views of the river. Landsford Canal State Park would be a
primary competitor during the month of May when the Spider Lilies are in full bloom and
kayakers and families visit that portion of the Catawba River. It is located about 30
minutes from the Outdoor Discovery Center.
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Kings Mountain State Park

Kings Mountain State Park is one of the more historic
locations in the area. It has picnic areas, equestrian trails,
a lake and over 20 miles of hiking trails. The park attracts
visitors who are interested in military history as well as
the history of the region. The Outdoor Discovery Center also has trails and is waterbased but it focuses more on the history of the Catawba River and Indians. It is open
from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. daily and charges a fee of $2. Kings Mountain State Park is
located 31.7 miles from the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center.

Anne Springs Close Greenway

Anne Springs Close Greenway is a 2,100 acre nature
preserve in Fort Mill, SC. It features trails for hiking,
horseback riding, mountain biking and numerous natural
areas. There are multiple lakes for canoeing and fishing and also covered picnic areas.
They host many events and have facilities available for rental. It is one of the more
direct competitors of the Rock Hill Outdoor Center because it has many of the same
features and amenities. It is open daily and charges different fees for non-members.
Anne Springs Close Greenway is located 5 miles from the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery
Center.
National Whitewater Center
The U.S. National

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Whitewater Center

(USNWC) offers access to the outdoors for all levels of participants through its all-day
pass programs, instruction, leadership school as well as festivals, races and other
outdoor events. Activities include whitewater rafting and kayaking, flatwater kayaking,
mountain biking, rock climbing, zip lines and ropes courses are available to all ages and
skill levels. The USNWC is a competitor to the Rock Hill Outdoor Center because it
offers access to the Catawba River and has many activities that cannot be found
anywhere else. The USNWC is 26.3 miles from the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center.

Manchester Meadows
Manchester Meadows is one of Rock Hills newest parks. The
Manchester Meadows are popular use for soccer games and
tournaments. There are also walking trails, picnic tables and a
playground. The trail is 1.1 mile where people can walk their pets or
go for a nice bike ride. There is no admission fee for the general use
of the park, however, some tournaments and special events may require an admission
fee. Manchester Meadows is 3.2 miles from the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center.

The Outdoor Discovery Center at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center will most likely
always have a large group of competitors. York County and the surrounding areas have
many eco-tourism activities, which gives consumers more choice in which activity they
take part in. With the right amenities and exhibits, the Rock Hill Outdoor Center,
Piedmont Medical Center Trail and potential Outdoor Discovery Center can maintain a
high market share and awareness within the community.

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IMC Campaign Goals and Objectives

Goals
1. To promote the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center to the residents of the Rock
Hill area
2. Increase public awareness of the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center
3. Increase public awareness of the Catawba River
Objectives
1. To increase awareness of the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center with families
by 20% by October 2014.
2. To increase positive attitudes toward trail usage by families by 10% by January
2015.
3. To increase usage of the Catawba River at the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery
Center by 15% by September 2014.
Assessment of Goals and Objectives
To assess the effectiveness of our campaign goals and objectives, we will
conduct another ethnography in Summer 2015 to determine if there are more families
visiting the Piedmont Medical Center Trail at the Rock Hill Outdoor Education Center.
We will create surveys to be handed out at the Outdoor Discovery Center periodically in
the months following its grand opening.

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IMC Campaign Creatives

The creatives aim to attract families to visit the Rock Hill Outdoor Center and the
PMCT. We used bright and natural colors to have a consistent theme of nature and
being outdoors. We wanted families to feel welcomed while being outdoors. Through
each creative we promoted the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center.
The first step was to create a new logo that unifies Rock Hill Outdoor Center and
PMCT into one complete location, the Rock Hill Outdoor Discovery Center. In order to
produce an integrated theme, we included the slogan, play. learn. discover. nature
awaits., in each marketing piece. The magazine ad and billboard set the tone of the
campaign as an outdoor environment for families. Consistent with the campaign, we
created a brochure that will be featured at the Outdoor Discovery Center. Graphics in
the brochure feature families and activities they can partake in at the new Rock Hill
Outdoor Discovery Center. Additionally, street signs will be added along the trail and at
the entrance of Riverwalk that promote learning and nature.
To raise awareness of the trail and promote positive attitudes, Parks and
Recreation can host an event for the grand opening of the Outdoor Discovery Center.
The event will include guided tours of the trails, kayaking, snacks, and family activities.
Direct mail will be the primary form of advertisement. The direct mail pieces will remain
consistent to the campaign and include a coupon and letter. There will be posters
around town and an electronic media release sent to the media. At the event, the
Outdoor Discovery Center will give away book bags to kids that include a scavenger
hunt and promotional water bottle. This will target the children in the families and
encourage visitors to buy a membership to the center.

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