One of several entrances to the Water Street Market area in downtown Corpus Christi, home to the Executive Surf Club (shown), Water Street Oyster Bar, Water Street Sushi Room, South Texas Music Walk of Fame, and Texas Surf Museum. Courtesy image
The Corpus Christi Visitor Information Center is moving to new digs in downtown’s Water Street Market this December. To celebrate the move, Visit Corpus Christi (the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau) held a competition for artists to design and produce a colorful, selfie-inspiring indoor mural. The 10-foot-by-10-foot mural should be ready for viewing — and photography — by Nov. 15.
This is the third location for the visitor center in five years. In 2015, it moved into a new space along the downtown seawall near the American Bank Center. Two years later, it moved into the historic Ward-McCampbell House at 1521 N. Chaparral St. in Heritage Park. A grand opening is planned for Dec. 1 in its new space in the Water Street Market.
Temporary closures caused by COVID-19 opened up the space, according to Emily Zertuche, senior director of Creative Strategy for Visit Corpus Christi. The visitor center will be moving into space that once housed the Treehouse Art Collective, a retail gallery for local artists and crafters.
“We wanted to be directly in the path of the visitor foot traffic,” Zertuche said. “Our aim is for the Visitor Information Center to serve as the first stop for tourists when they need information about the sights, culinary delights, and activities happening in Corpus Christi.”
Water Street Market is popular among tourists. It is well known for its shopping, restaurants, and nightlife. A paved courtyard provides easy access and community space connecting Water Street Oyster Bar, Water Street Sushi Room, Executive Surf Club, South Texas Music Walk of Fame, Texas Surf Museum, and more. The location is also next to the downtown seawall and marina.
The visitor center will have city attraction guides, pamphlets, brochures, discount coupons, and unique Corpus Christi souvenirs, T-shirts, and gifts for purchase.
“We partnered with local artists, such as Love is a Seed, to offer locally designed jewelry and Made in Corpus Christi to sell locally made merchandise,” Zertuche continued. “Twenty-five percent of sales will go directly to the nonprofit charitable foundation Visit CC Cares Program that has launched a COVID-19 Coronavirus Hospitality Emergency Fund Campaign."
Visit CC Cares helps hospitality and tourism employees who have experienced financial hardship and work furloughs with a one-time emergency fund to get them through a lack of income during the pandemic.
"Our mission is to put Corpus Christi on the map as we are so much more different than Galveston or South Padre Island,” Zertuche said. “We have our own unique culture, and we want to create a better community by sharing Corpus Christi with the world."
Visit Corpus Christi is a 501c6 Destination Management Organization contracted by the city of Corpus Christi and primarily funded through the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) paid by visitors while staying overnight in hotels and short-term rentals.
For more information, call 1-800-766-BEACH (2322) or 361-561-2000 or go to visitcorpuschristitx.org.
