THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 31, 1994 TAG: 9410290151
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEPHANIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: Long : 157 lines
The night Disney yanked plans to build a historical theme park in Northern Virginia, Gov. George F. Allen was devastated. So were other advocates for the proposed multimillion-dollar tourist attraction.
One Virginian not crying the blues over Disney's reversal was Robert Wilburn, the president of Colonial Williamsburg. Nearly a month after the startling Disney announcement, he still has a difficult time suppressing his lopsided grin.
``We welcomed Disney to come to Virginia,'' Wilburn said from his office in a white, brick building off Henry Street. ``I don't believe anyone has a monopoly in this business.''
Those are polite words, but 51-year-old Wilburn was one of the movers and shakers who played a small role in turning the tide against Walt Disney Co.'s plans to turn a piece of Prince William County into ``Disney's America,'' a historical theme park.
In May, he stood before 120 Virginia museum officials and warned them that the new attraction would intercept tourists from the Northeast and siphon off their dollars. He also has expressed concerns over the state's generosity and that Disney might do a Mickey Mouse version of history.
The Disney situation is just one example of how Wilburn keeps his vision for Colonial Williamsburg intact: by negotiating the best deals through alliances with everyone from local residents to state politicians.
After returning from Florida last spring to look over Disney's plans, he focused his opposition on the state's $163 million incentives package. Wilburn then was instrumental in getting the governor to form a tourism task force to pen proposals for the state to help current attractions like his own.
After all, if he had to live with Disney, he might as well negotiate the best package for Colonial Williamsburg.
In his quest to boost attendance, lure more grants, dig for more structural remains and enthrall visitors - the personable businessman has quickly developed close contacts with locals, his employees, government officials, the business community and the tourism industry.
On afternoons, he might be found chatting with employees or talking to visitors in a colonial costume. On evenings, he might be at a City Council meeting or talking with donors.
``He's comfortable with moving closely into the community,'' said James King, director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which Wilburn once headed. ``He immediately develops a rapport with the community.
Convincing people to support his plans comes easier to Wilburn than others, King said.
``I hate to say good ol' boy because that's not what I mean,'' he said. ``But he's got a country background. He's got that flavor, with that grin and `aw shucks' attitude.''
Wilburn, dressed in a dark suit and crisp white shirt, is a tall, fit man with a loping walk. His lopsided, toothy grin frequently flashes across his face.
He lives in a restored home in Colonial Williamsburg with his wife, Patricia, and three of his four children.
Wilburn's laid-back personality also has been an asset in making his employees back his vision. Co-workers say they've never seen him lose his cool though he sets his square jaw in a certain way when he is upset.
``He understands the political and economic realities of things,'' said Andrew Hungerman, vice president and treasurer of the Carnegie Institute and Library in Pittsburgh, which Wilburn led before moving to Virginia. ``That's the way he works. He always asks, `How do you make it work?' ''
In Pittsburgh, Wilburn helped launch the Carnegie Science Center and the Andy Warhol Museum. He left, he said, when he thought both were on track.
Indeed, during his eight years there, he tripled the institute's membership roster and raised $125 million to fund new construction and renovations.
By the time he had moved to Williamsburg in 1992, the sagging economy had hit the tourism industry hard. Over the last five years, the number of visitors has dropped off more than 20 percent to 909,000. Revenue was up 7 percent to $130.5 million last year from $121.9 million in 1992.
Some travel experts suggested that overworked, stressed-out Americans would rather ride a roller coaster or bake in the sun than learn a few chapters in U.S. history at $24 per day, the price of an everything-included pass to the restored area.
Wilburn doesn't think those experts are correct and doesn't think Colonial Williamsburg is overpriced. He blamed the economy for attendance declines and adds that ticket prices have risen just 3 percent to 5 percent per year.
He predicts this year's attendance figures will inch up. He has been right, so far.
During his three years at Colonial Williamsburg, Wilburn has cut his roster of upper managers and has relied increasingly on volunteers to bolster his staff. He now has about 3,600 employees and 500 volunteers, many of them college students and retirees.
``We're trying to get more resources on the front line,'' he said.
Despite losing three vice presidents and six directors, Colonial Williamsburg has continued to fund new projects and programs. There are discounts for locals and plans for a multimillion-dollar capital project that includes an education center, a research building and a library.
Employees also say he has supported many of their ideas for new projects in the rebuilt town.
Stan Beadle, who helped start a theater program at Colonial Williamsburg seven years ago, said administrators are interested in reconstructing a second playhouse that once stood in the small town.
``The second one - the one that was a success - is next to the Capital,'' Beadle said. ``Apparently, Mr. Wilburn is interested in it, so we're happy.''
Wilburn says his drive to boost attendance means he'll increase audience participation by improving and adding programs to show how everyone lived in colonial times, not just Thomas Jefferson and his gang.
The typical visitor is white, college-educated and has an above average income. But as Colonial Williamsburg has added more programs depicting the lives of free blacks and slaves, the number of black visitors has slowly crept up.
``We have attracted more minorities in recent years,'' Wilburn said. ``But it's still a small percentage.''
The latest and most controversial program was the recent slave auction.
More than 2,000 people turned out to view the re-enactment of four slaves being auctioned in 1773. Several blacks protested the event. The auction was the brainchild of Colonial Williamsburg's department of African-American Interpretation and Presentations.
Jack Gravely, political action chairman of the Virginia NAACP, and several others asked Wilburn to cancel the re-enactment, but he refused.
``We have to be willing to confront our history,'' Wilburn said. ``Twenty years ago, I don't think we would be prepared for it.''
Wilburn doesn't know if there will be another slave auction soon. But he added that Colonial Williamsburg might do re-enactments three times a year - which is about how many were held in the town during colonial times.
``We don't want to diminish the experience,'' he said.
Many visitors don't realized that the Colonial Williamsburg experience is more than a two-hour visit. You can take in just a few sites before it's time to go home.
Wilburn said the attraction plans to emphasize three- to four-day itineraries.
Other advertising campaigns this year have included 30-minute ``infomercials'' on cable television and joint promotions with Busch Gardens, Jamestown and Yorktown. So far, the fledgling Virginia Waterfront campaign, spearheaded by Norfolk, hasn't helped much.
``Our feeling is that anything that promotes Virginia helps us,'' he said. ``But we've certainly seen no evidence of any help from the campaign so far.''
Wilburn sees no highlights in his three years at Colonial Williamsburg. There are no ``best'' moments or ``worst'' moments, he says.
``Even if you have a major success, I don't think it's healthy to think of it that way,'' Wilburn said. ``There are hundreds of things that add up. I'm not looking for a magic button to press.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by BILL TIERNAN, Staff
On cover, Robert Wilburn
On afternoons, Wilburn might be found chatting with employees or
talking to visitors in a colonial costume. on evenings, he might be
at a City Council meeting or talking with donors.
Travel experts have suggested that Americans would rather ride
roller coasters or bask in the sun than learn a chapter of history
at $24 a day. Wilburn doesn't agree and credits the economy for
attendance declines.
Chart
Colonial Williamsburg attendance
KEYWORDS: COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG PROFILE BIOGRAPHY TOURISM by CNB