Moses Lake will inform visitors it has a lake

MOSES LAKE, Wash. – Water sports capital of the United States.

That’s the theme local leaders hope to convey with a new motto and logo designed to draw more visitors to the central Washington community.

Earlier this month the City Council voted to replace a logo featuring the multicolored sun logo with a sun and water graphic bearing the words “Moses Lake” and the tag line “Jump In.”

The branding and marketing plan was designed by Destination Development Inc., which also created a brand boosting Round Rock, Texas, as that state’s sports capital.

Six months after adopting the new brand, Round Rock successfully recruited about $20 million worth of sporting events, said John Kelsh, a partner in Destination Development.

The cost to Moses Lake was $155,000 for marketing and branding, and new signs to be placed at freeway exits next year will cost about $240,000, according to the marketing plan. Kelsh said the new logo could help attract water sports competitions and convince more families to visit.

“The lake has never been a central focus of the city, except to look at,” he said.

Logo designs were tested with marketing professionals, heads of visitors and conventions bureaus, advertising companies and Puget Sound residents, who provide the largest contingent of local tourists.

“They told us the one that evoked the feelings and emotions we wanted, that it would be a fun place to go,” Kelsh said.

Roger A. Brooks, chief executive of Destination Development, said the logo, signs and marketing campaign should be phased in slowly to allow time for development of water activities and related businesses promoted by the theme.

Goals include hosting major water sport competitions and the opening of a water park hotel.

“Don’t put signs out if you can’t deliver,” Brooks said.

He suggested dividing the lake into areas for specific activities, including personal watercraft, canoeing, paddle boating and kayaking, with fishing allowed anywhere.