How many new visitors will a New York campaign bring to Starved Rock State Park? Probably not that many, tourist officials say.

But nobody approached for comment by Shaw Local seems much concerned with whether visuals soon to be displayed in Times Square in New York City will translate into new visitors. Local tourist officials are simply thrilled that Starved Rock will be depicted in America’s largest metropolis.

Winter visuals of Starved Rock, all filmed by reelCreative, work will appear on a Times Square billboard. It’s part of the Illinois Office of Tourism’s “Enjoy Illinois” winter campaign.

“We were simply filming these winter scenes at our favorite park. We never imagined they’d end up being seen by millions of people in Times Square,” said Matthew Klein, co-founder of reelCreative.

Klein isn’t the only one excited.

Bob Navarro is president and CEO of Heritage Corridor Destinations and he sees nothing but positives from promoting park visuals in the Big Apple.

“It’s great branding,” he said. “The visuals are great. It certainly can’t hurt to be there and have that exposure.”

“We feel that this will be a great marketing tool for La Salle County,” said La Salle County Board member Jill Bernal, D-Peru. “Hopefully, it will not be a problem in the number of visitors it may bring.

“But just seeing La Salle County on that big of a stage is truly stunning.”

“From our perspective, any exposure that helps elevate awareness of Starved Rock and the surrounding parks is ultimately a positive for the region,” said Matthew Kosch, executive vice president of the Sonnenschein Groupe, which owns Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock. “Efforts like the Times Square promotion introduce Starved Rock to audiences well beyond Illinois and the broader Midwest, many of whom may not otherwise be familiar with the natural, recreational, and cultural assets this area offers.”

It’s true that Starved Rock had, in recent years, welcomed an unusually high number of visitors – and with it came wear-and-tear on the trails along with maintenance challenges for park staff.

The floodgates opened in 2016 when the U.S. National Park Service marked its centennial, sparking interest not only in national parks but also in state parks. Starved Rock welcomed a record-shattering 2.8 million visitors in 2017 and only gradually descended.

Monty Bernardoni, site superintendent for Starved Rock, isn’t worried about a sudden influx of visitors from the new campaign, even if it is located in America’s largest media market. Bernardoni pointed out that the park is marketed and depicted at major airports, which has given it a cachet among international visitors.

“I believe our take on visitor increase can be minimal at first,” Bernardoni said, “but could also develop over time into more if those visiting from other states or other parts of the world want to plan their vacation around us.

“Having this displayed in one of the most popular and visited cities in the world is an exciting time for the Illinois Valley.”

Navarro agreed it “will be hard for us to translate” the Times Square campaign into a significant number of new visitors, “but I think it’s good branding and good exposure for us to be there.”

And anyone worried that a New York campaign will spur Springfield to revisit fees or parking charges can breathe easy.

“Admission or parking fees at Starved Rock State Park are not currently on the table,” said state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris. “Additionally, given the state’s ongoing budget pressures, I would be greatly concerned that any implemented fees at the park could be swept and not go toward their intended purpose.

“Moving forward, any discussion about fees should be transparent, deliberate, and focused on protecting access to one of Illinois’ most important natural treasures.”