Local & State Headlines

Bridge House toured

• The Albany-Dougherty Convention and Visitors Bureau’s new digs impress county officials.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — Dougherty County commissioners and other county officials got a sneak peek at the newly restored Bridge House after the commission’s Monday morning business meeting, and the new home of the Convention and Visitors Bureau drew rave reviews.

“I’m impressed, and I’ve got to say I’m not easily impressed,” District 5 Commissioner Art Searles said. “This is definitely a facility that can be used to showcase Albany. It’s another of many steps of progress in our city, and the thing that I like best is it utilizes the (Flint) river.”

Of all the Bridge House’s displays and facilities, the feature that drew the strongest reaction from Monday’s guests was the view from the building’s second-story conference room. Large windows offered an impressive view of RiverFront Park below and the adjacent Flint.

“Are we still in Albany?” a couple of attendees remarked as they gazed out on the rapidly flowing river.

CVB Director Lisa Riddle said her office staff has already received a number of requests from people wanting to rent the meeting space.

“It’s unbelievable,” Riddle said. “We’re getting calls every day.”

Even more unbelievable for Riddle and her staff is the reality that the facility is finally ready to open its doors to the public.

“Albany has a new front door,” she told commissioners, then said after her tour-guide duties, “every day there’s something new in place. It’s finally for real; it’s really happening.”

Assistant County Administrator Thomas Thomas said the facility will be the “most utilized meeting facility in Southwest Georgia,” and District 1 Commissioner Lamar Hudgins added that “this beautiful structure will be another impressive place that visitors can identify with Albany.”

Riddle said the Bridge House will hold an official ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday at 11:30 a.m. and will host its first function Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. when the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Business After Hours gathering will be held there.