THE ROANOKE REGION OF VIRGINIA

via virginiabusiness.com

Call him Roanoke’s Outdoor Man. Pete Eshelman spends his days promoting events that capitalize on the natural strengths of this Blue Ridge Mountain city. And why not? There are rivers to raft, trails to bike, mountains to climb, and caves to spelunk. And all that activity fits nicely with some of the most powerful drivers of the region’s economy — health care and education.

“Everyone agrees that’s part of what makes this area so great,” says Eshelman, director of outdoor branding for the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “But it was a story that wasn’t being told.”

Roanoke has spent much of its history trying to be like someplace else — Charlotte, Richmond or almost any other place that people won’t call a gritty railroad town. Maybe that phase of the city’s life is over. “I think we seem to be more comfortable with ourselves than we were 25 years ago,” says former Roanoke County administrator Elmer Hodges.

The city’s emerging image as an outdoor mecca has encouraged the growth of number of businesses catering to adventuresome tourists, such as outfitters and bicycle shops. The buzz about the region’s quality of life also is helping it attract and retain highly trained professionals.

Eshelman’s job is to tell Roanoke’s new story. He organizes and promotes events such as the Blue Ridge Marathon. In April the race drew 942 runners and had an estimated economic impact of nearly $350,000 (in spending on hotel rooms, meals, gasoline, etc.). Next year, Eshelman says, “We’re actually adding some elevation to it. We’re actually billing it as America’s toughest road marathon.”

Eshelman also organized the Gear Junkie Treasure hunt, which brought 300 people from 15 states to Virginia’s Explore Park in July to traipse around the woods with compasses, maps and GPS devices trying to win their share of $40,000 worth of gear.

As another facet of his job, Eshelman tends to a website, roanokeoutside.com. It provides maps of 75 trails and information about caves, rivers, museums, birding, disc golf, wineries, farmers’ markets and other attractions.

This fall, Roanoke Outside plans to host an adventure tourism entrepreneur workshop. Shawn Hash probably could teach the course. Two decades ago, Hash and his brother, Tyrell, started an adventure tourism business, Tangent Outfitters. “We had a Toyota truck, which we still have, and two canoes and four mountain bikes,” Shawn Hash says.

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