South on our radar
From New Orleans to the Carolinas, planners organizing tours in the South will find many new itinerary brighteners in the region. Here is a quick glimpse at what’s creating a buzz: FLORIDA The new Northwest FloridaPanama City International Airport is on track to open in May 2010 as the first international airport to be built in the U.S. in the last 16 years. Southwest Airlines, the first to announce service to Panama City Beach, will operate eight daily flights beginning May 18. Located on Panama City Beach’s expansive West Bay, the airport and Industrial District Authority aim to make its terminal the first in the nation certified to LEED standards under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program of the U.S. Green Building Council. The airport will be developed in conjunction with a nature preserve that will include Florida’s largest expanse of undeveloped coastline. The refuge, called the West Bay Preservation Area, will protect 40,000 acres around the West Bay, including 33 miles of undeveloped shoreline and an additional 44 miles of tributaries and creeks. Visitors to the preserve will enjoy hiking, fishing and bird watching. (visitpanamacitybeach.com) GEORGIA BabyLand General Hospital, where Cabbage Patch Kids dolls are “delivered” and “adopted,” plans a Grand Opening Celebration and Reunion on May 8, 2010, at its new location in Cleveland, hometown of creator-entrepreneur Xavier Roberts. The gracious, threestory Southern-style mansion, a showcase of fun and fantasy being built on 100 acres, will offer mountain views from 72 windows. Actual move-in date is expected before the end of 2009. BabyLand is working with lodging facilities, restaurants and other attractions to do Cabbage Patch Kids girlfriend getaways. (cabbagepatchkids.com) LeisureGroupTravel.com
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is adding a $110-million dolphin exhibit that will open in November 2010. The 1.3-million gallon exhibit will include dolphin encounters, viewing windows and dolphin shows. (georgiaaquarium.org) The Allure of the Automobile presents 18 of the world’s rarest cars from the 1930s to the mid-1960s at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art from March 21June 20, 2010. Included are masterpieces by Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Ferrari. The exhibition traces the evolution of the motorcar, examining the contrasts between European and American design, and significant changes in automotive styling and engineering before and after World War II. (high.org)
KENTUCKY The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington will host the 2010 Alltech FEI Games from Sept. 25-Oct. 10. Held every four years, the competition features the world championships for eight equestrian sports. This will mark the first time the event has been held in the United States. The City of Lexington is planning a 17-day festival to run concurrently with the 2010 Games. From May 29-Oct. 15, the Horse Park’s International Museum of the Horse will present A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, a major exhibition that honors the horse of the Near East, with particular emphasis on the Arabian horse. In September, the Morgan Horse Pavilion, built by the American Morgan Horse
prime time With our 200-year history, Greenbrier County is a great location for your next tour. Conveniently located less than four hours by motorcoach from many major Mid-Atlantic cities, Greenbrier Valley is an easy getaway for those cherished times. To request a copy of the Group Tour Planner, please contact Group Sales at 800-833-2068 or amy@greenbrierwv.com
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