Lea este artículo en español aquí.
In a push to boost tourism and increase local revenue, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors is set to discuss in 2026 a proposal to brand the county as the “Home of Pinnacles National Park.”
On Dec. 10, the Tourism Advisory Committee—made up of representatives from the county, Hollister, San Juan Bautista and the area’s tourism industry—endorsed the initiative for the supervisors’ consideration. The committee also approved a template that San Juan Bautista and Hollister can use if they choose to adopt the slogan.
The proposal, Associate Administrative Analyst Gracie Rodriguez told the committee, includes adding “Home of Pinnacles National Park” to the county logo and incorporating it into county communications. It also envisions partnerships with agencies such as Pinnacles National Park and Visit San Benito to promote the new county logo. Committee members stressed that the whole project is intended to be low- or no-cost.
Hollister Mayor Roxanne Stephens said she supports the initiative, saying it aligns with the city’s ongoing effort to promote local businesses.
“We want people [visiting the Pinnacles] to drive into downtown or stop at the local businesses along Hwy 25,” Stephens said. “So this fits right in line with that.”
Committee member Jill Glass Pagaran, from Spirit of San Juan—a nonprofit dedicated to promoting San Juan Bautista, told the committee that $15,000 remains from the Pinnacles Gateway Partnership, an alliance of cities that once collaborated to promote the park. Those funds, she said, could help cover small expenses such as adding a ribbon to the county logo.
Stephens, Glass Pagaran, and Supervisors Kollin Kosmicki and Dom Zanger supported the proposal. San Juan Bautista Mayor Leslie Jordan was absent.
The new slogan will be discussed by the Board of Supervisors in January.
The committee also discussed a program to fund public art, primarily through private development, intended to “promote the general welfare by balancing the community’s physical growth and revitalization with its cultural and artistic resources.”
It was also forwarded to the supervisors for consideration next year.
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.
You must be logged in to post a comment.