Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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“Producers at The Learning Channel and Discovery Channel are looking into turning our upcoming furniture-building contest into a reality TV show that would be based out of Thomasville,” Scott told members of the Thomasville Lions Club at their meeting Thursday at Big Game Safari Steakhouse. “In order to try to get this show in time for the fall slate, we’re really having to fast-track this competition.”
Scott, who told his audience, “I’m not smart enough to invent things, but I’m smart enough to copy things,” credits activity north of the border with helping the creation of the furniture-building-contest idea.
“They’ve got all these ice sculpting contests up in the Canadian provinces,” Scott said. “That made us think, ‘Why don’t we do something like that with furniture in Thomasville?’ We have been looking for ways to bring attention to what Thomasville was started on.”
Scott said interest in the contest is bringing contestants to the Chair City from, at least, as far as Pennsylvania. He has arranged for the lumber that is being used in the contest to be donated by a High Point company. Also contributing to the effort is Larry Rierson, who recently purchased the former Plant A, Plant B, Plant B and Plant X of Thomasville Furniture Industries, who is providing the workspace for the contest. Contestants must submit their design by May 1. The contestants will arrive on Wednesday, May 14. The actual building of the furniture pieces will take place May 15-18. There will actually be two contests held simultaneously, one for chair building and the other for general furniture building..
While generally upbeat, Scott admitted to the Lions that something, relative to his job, was bothering him.
“One of the things that troubles me, with tourism on the horizon, is the possible toll booths on Interstate 85.” Scott said in response to reports that the state is considering building a new bridge at the Yadkin River, which separates Davidson and Rowan counties.
Like Scott, most local governmental leaders have voiced opposition to the proposed toll bridge.
Scott noted that AAU sporting events attract more people to Thomasville hotels than anything other than the High Point Furniture Market. He also noted that he is looking for ways to turn Everybody’s Day from a one-day event into a two-day event.
“Tourism is the No. 2 industry in the state of North Carolina,” Scott said. “Only manufacturing ranks higher. If there was no money generated in this state from tourism, each household would have to pay an average of $300 more in state taxes.”
Staff Writer Kevin Reid can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 230, or at reid@tvilletimes.com.