Connor Souder Named Sports Director At Tourist Commission
Assistant Director Connor Souder will take on an additional role as sports director for the Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission. (Image submitted).
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
[email protected]
The Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission has announced that Assistant Director Connor Souder will take on an additional role as sports director.
As sports director, Souder will collaborate with local government, schools and community organizations to develop and enhance sports infrastructure, host new events and grow existing programs, the tourist commission announced in a press release.
Souder joined the tourist commission as assistant director in November 2023. In his new dual role, Souder will lead efforts to elevate sports tourism by organizing tournaments, fostering partnerships with athletic organizations and creating initiatives to attract athletes and visitors to the area.
“This is an exciting opportunity to not only promote Mercer County as a premier tourist destination but also to showcase our community as a hub for sports and recreation,” Souder said in a press release. “Sports tourism has tremendous potential to bring people together and generate economic growth, and I’m honored to contribute to this vision.”
“Connor’s passion for the community and his innovative mind-set make him the ideal candidate to take on this additional responsibility,” Daarik Gray, executive director of the Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission, said in a press release. “We are confident that his vision will create significant opportunities for Mercer County and set us apart as a sports destination.”
The tourist commission has also hired Kaitlyn Harder, the former executive director of the Downtown Harrodsburg Main Street Program—which dissolved at the beginning of the new year—as the community development and events coordinator.
Downtown Harrodsburg hosted events to promote the downtown area, including Friday Nights On Main from May to September and the Dinner on Main in June, as well as the Spooktacular in October and Christmas On Main event in December. By far, the biggest event the organization hosted was Oktoberfest, which drew 24,000 visitors to Harrodsburg last year, according to attendance figures provided by the tourist commission. According to the Facebook post, Oktoberfest will operate as its own nonprofit organization. The tourist commission will now oversee the other events.
The Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission is dedicated to promoting the rich history, culture, and natural beauty of Mercer County. For more information about upcoming events or to get involved, please call 859-734-2364 or visit online at visitharrodsburgky.com.
