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Star billing: Rock County featured on television show

JANESVILLE — Lights, camera, action, Rock County!

This weekend, Rock County will be featured on "Discover Wisconsin," the 30-minute television show that showcases the state's tourist destinations on radio and television stations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

On Wednesday, local tourism promoters got their first look at the Rock County segment during a premiere party at Blackhawk Technical College.

"The hardest part was deciding what to leave out," said Jim Dick, Discover Wisconsin managing producer.

Beloit native Stephanie Klett, who has been hosting the show for 16 years, echoed those sentiments.

"So much great footage hit the cutting room floor," she said.

In Janesville, the program highlights the Janesville Performing Arts Center, historic homes, Rock Aqua Jays shows, the Lincoln-Tallman Restorations, The Armory, Rotary Gardens and many other stops.

Beloit's part of the program includes Riverside Park, the Beloit International Film Festival, Arts Walk, Beloit College and its Mindset List, Heritage Days at Beckman Mill, the Beloit Snappers and the Angel Museum.

The county's parks, trails, golf courses and historic homes make brief appearances, as do Edgerton's tobacco history and Milton's role along the Underground Railroad.

That's a lot of information, especially because only 22 minutes remain after commercials.

"We want to tease people with just enough information so that they'll go to our Web site, or go to the Internet and look up information for your community," said Greg Smith, "Discover Wisconsin" managing director.

The Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Beloit and the Rock County Tourism Council provided funding for the program explained Christine Rebout, executive director of the Janesville organization.

The total cost was $30,000. The money was spent to market the county and to tap into the state's $13 billion tourism industry, Rebout said.