Visit Sarasota County looks for an I-75 sign

There’s a lot going on near University Parkway these days. So much so that it may be easy to get turned around.

That’s why Stephanie Grosskreutz, managing director for Visit Sarasota County, wants to point motorists in the right direction with a sign on Interstate 75 at the University Parkway exit, letting them know that one of the organization’s visitor centers is located right inside The Mall at University Town Center.

But, obtaining such a sign has been anything but easy.

There has been a standstill because the Florida Department of Transportation only allows signs on the interstate to represent standalone buildings. Since the visitors center is in the mall, it’s not eligible to receive signage, according to FDOT officials.

Instead, places such as restaurants, hotels, universities and retail stores that are not within the mall get to be featured on highway signs.

The issue was a topic of concern at the Sarasota Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Oct. 28 meeting.

“We could get a sign if we built a free-standing building in front of the mall and spent millions of taxpayer dollars, but because it’s in a mall, we can’t get a sign?” said Sarasota County Commissioner Christine Robinson.

Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta suggested that since both the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s campuses have lines on the University Parkway interstate sign, that they could be combined to one line to make room for another organization.

But FDOT officials explained only four destination lines are allowed per sign.

FDOT officials agreed to investigate the matter further.

Getting an interstate sign would be a big help to increase business in the Sarasota County area, according to Grosskreutz.

“We think it’s important to be there in front of visitors when they come to town,” she said. “I think it would encourage guests to get off the highway and see us.” Grosskreutz said. They can learn about our amenities such as the Ringling Museum and Siesta Key. They might even consider staying in Sarasota.”

The new visitor’s center in the mall is not the only recent development for Visit Sarasota.

Visit Sarasota is moving its flagship location at 701 N. Tamiami Trail to a small storefront in downtown Sarasota on Lemon Avenue.

Like the visitor’s center at UTC, Grosskreutz said the new location will be interactive and more economical.