Tourism director presents visitor dashboard; council debates Dark Sky branding and seal options
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Summary
Tourism director Chris Ruggia presented initial visitor-dashboard data and spending estimates and previewed the Smithsonian exhibit; council discussed geofencing, TxDOT signage and three logo options emphasizing Alpine's Dark Sky Reserve identity and Sul Ross State University references.
Chris Ruggia, Alpine’s director of tourism, presented the city’s first pass at a new visitor dashboard and preliminary visitor‑spending numbers for 2025. The dashboard’s city-limits geofence returned roughly 235,000 visits for 2025; Ruggia said adding the two largest hotels would increase that figure and estimated total visitor spending at about $18.3 million on an early pass.
Ruggia said he will refine the counts by including hotel-reported traffic (two hotels contributed roughly 100,700 additional visits when tracked separately) and recommended geofencing Big Bend National Park so Alpine’s data can be compared apples‑to‑apples with park visitation figures. "We're probably looking at 65% or more of the folks that are coming into the county are coming to Alpine," he said, while noting the figure will be refined.
He also previewed the Smithsonian 'Museum on Main Street' traveling exhibit, which the Museum of the Big Bend will host, and noted July events that could coincide with wide regional promotion.
Separately, the council reviewed three proposed city seal/logo options emphasizing Alpine’s identity in the Big Bend Dark Sky Reserve and possible text to reference Sul Ross State University. Council members debated legibility, grayscale and embroidered reproduction for shirts and patches, and whether to use the 'bar SR' device or explicit wording such as 'Home of Sul Ross State University.' Staff will return with adjusted art and test-print samples.
What happens next: staff will fine-tune the visitor dashboard methodology and recommend a signage/TxDOT outreach plan; designers will prepare refined logo options and print tests for council consideration.