Though he could not provide further comment , Mayor Harrison urged the community to keep watch for a future announcement .
Another important project for the City of Williamsburg last year was the expansion of the Firestone factory .
In 2022 , an agreement was reached between Williamsburg , Whitley County , and Firestone to rebate the factory 25 % of their occupational tax fee based on the number of new jobs created .
The initial expansion plans for the Firestone factory included the addition of 250 full-time jobs over five years .
However , Mayor Harrison believes that even more expansion is possible in the future .
He said , " The Firestone expansion has been fantastic and better than I thought it would be . And there ’ s no reason to believe more and more companies will become customers and Firestone will continue to grow ."
The plant has been in operation for more than 30 years and has long been a pillar of the community , both in terms in of economic development and providing jobs for the city .
Additionally , Williamsburg also completed the " Burg Island " addition to the Kentucky Splash Water Park .
The water park , also known as the Hal Rogers Entertainment Center , has long been a staple of entertainment in the community .
Burg Island is a Caribbean-themed addition to the standard water park infrastructure . The new attraction can be visited during the upcoming water park season , which will begin in the summer .
Season passes to the Kentucky Splash Water Park can be purchased online .
The annual Jeep Jamboree in Williamsburg also brought in significant tourism revenue .
Last year , Jeep Jamboree : Gateway to the Cumberlands celebrated 30 years of Jeep-related fun in Williamsburg .
The Jeep Jamboree is a weekend of excursions into riding trails where Jeep enthusiasts can enjoy the outdoors and the capabilities of their vehicles .
In 2023 , Jeep Jamboree hosted 204 Jeeps and brought in approximately $ 200,000 in revenue to the City of Williamsburg .
Looking ahead to the new year , the City
of Williamsburg is planning on completing other projects as well .
One project in particular that the city council has been excited to see completed is the downtown lighting project .
The lighting project includes replacing the lighting downtown with LED bulbs and new infrastructure .
The LED lighting is not only brighter , but requires far less energy to power than traditional , incandescent lighting .
The primary concern of the council when electing to complete the project was safety , as brighter lighting has been proven to prevent criminal activity .
However , there is also the additional benefit of cost reduction over time caused by the energy efficiency of the light bulbs .
According to Mayor Harrison , there are more projects on the horizon , with more details still to be announced .
Much effort has been placed to rebrand Williamsburg as a historic destination with much to offer for tourism .
Mayor Harrison noted , " We take pride in the fact that while you are here with us , you become a part of our family , and we ’ ll treat you as such . After all Williamsburg … Feels Like Home ."
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Page 18 — The Times-Tribune • Community Guide 2024