SPENCER CO, IN (WFIE) -
A new winery is coming to Spencer County, but the county may need to step in to make it easier for customers to get there.
Officials say boosting the county's tourism industry is of utmost importance, and that they support making changes to some of the roads.
In Spencer County, just outside Rockport, a new business is hoping the county commissioners will grant it better access by retooling some gravel roads.
"It makes the roads more friendly for the tourism," said Kevin Deweese.
Deweese owns Pepper's Ridge Winery, a Rockport business that is set to open in August. He says he's excited to open the winery's doors, but there's just one problem.
"We live on 200 west and there's little sections of it that's gravel. Most of it's chipped and sealed but our area is not," Deweese said.
These narrow gravel roads are decidedly less conducive to receiving winery customers, than the chipped and sealed version, Deweese would like to see.
"Tourism is one of our main industries," said Ferman Yearby.
Rockport Councilman Ferman Yearby says he supports any action taken to boost Spencer County's tourism industry.
"The more that we can lure people down here, especially the wine tours that have really gotten popular, then we're going to get more of those people to come to southern Spencer County and spend their money in Rockport," Yearby said.
As of now, the county commissioners have taken this issue under advisement and will address it again next month.
Deweese says he understands it is not realistic to believe that these roads could be reconstructed before the August 11th grand opening of his winery. However, he does say he just hopes an agreeable decision is made soon in Spencer County.
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