CAIRO — A comprehensive plan for how to market Grady County has been approved by the Tired Creek Lake Authority and will now head to county commissioners this week for final approval.

The three-step plan commissioners will consider Tuesday morning will begin with the commission of a study to determine the feasibility of developing recreational activities around Tired Creek Lake, specifically an RV park, land and water trails and primitive camping sites. Trey Gainous, moderator for the Grady County Growth, Marketing and Development Committee, which developed the plan over the past six months, said the concept will serve as a starting point for bringing outside visitors to the lake.

“It’s no secret that (the lake) is our biggest and most developable asset,” Gainous said at Monday’s joint meeting of the Lake Authority and the commission. “That is our crown jewel.”

Commissioners voiced support for the committee’s plan, particularly the RV park concept.

“I think it’s a break-even proposition and a good way to kick off our lake and start something,” said Commissioner Phillip Drew, himself an RV user.

Drew, along with County Administrator Buddy Johnson and lake director Mike Binion, visited an RV park in Glynn County recently and came away with the impression that RV usage is a lucrative business that’s on the rise, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s sort of what I call low-hanging fruit,” said lake consultant Will Butler, who participated in several committee meetings as an informal adviser. “That doesn’t mean it’s free-hanging fruit, but it is low-hanging fruit.”

A layout concept for a proposed RV park with around 80 camping sites is already being developed by the University of Georgia Archway Partnership, but the challenge, Drew said, is in bringing a water and sewage system to the lake.

“That’s out biggest budget constraint” with regard to the RV park concept, he said.

Drew suggested that the county search for potential grants to assist with the project.

Once the feasibility study has concluded, the county’s next objective would be to develop and fund a tourism board in conjunction with the cities of Cairo and Whigham and other local entities. The board would be responsible for creating a website and promotional materials such as brochures and mail-outs to promote Grady County.

Long-term goals of the tourism board would be to develop an annual program of events, both existing and new, that could take place at Tired Creek Lake, such as Independence Day celebrations or triathlons. “Pandemic-safe” activities, such as fishing, would be promoted for the medium-term future to generate immediate interest.

Johnson said discussions on how to fund the board, which Butler described as the county’s “greatest chance of success,” are already underway with the City of Cairo.

“I think there’s certainly an opportunity to develop what we’re talking about here,” the county administrator said. “I think it’s certainly affordable.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen overnight,” he added, “but I think it can happen pretty fast.”

The county administrator said he was amazed the growth committee, which consisted mainly of county constituents, met their July deadline despite complications which arose due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The people that came were dedicated to it,” he said. “They were involved.”

Johnson, who has previously stated that he does not wish to see the committee immediately dissolved, reminded the commissioners that the committee was designed to act as a voice for the people of Grady County.

“This is what the constituents have asked for,” he said, “so we want to do everything within our power, and we have to pinch pennies like everybody else, but we also have to consider that this is what the community wants to see.”