Jim Thorpe Borough Council on Thursday voted 4-2 to deny an international media organization’s request to film a documentary about Jim Thorpe, citing concerns over increased tourism and strain on local resources.

London-based Britalians TV had proposed showcasing Jim Thorpe as the “Gem of Pennsylvania” on its global platform, which reaches 80 countries and 275 million households. Some council members, however, expressed reservations about the potential impact of further promoting the borough, which already experiences significant visitor numbers.

Council President Greg Strubinger said while recognition is positive, the borough must be cautious about handling large crowds.

“We had to have some discussion on this,” Strubinger said. “Obviously, we consulted the police chief, and the suggestion was that we deny this request. We appreciate them thinking of us, but at this point, we have more than we can handle.”

Councilman Connor Rodgers echoed those sentiments, highlighting how social media exposure has already led to a surge in visitors.

“The rise of certain social media... has brought thousands more into the borough every year, and I think this program would only bring more,” Rodgers said at an earlier meeting.

Rodgers emphasized that he supports tourism but believes the borough needs a structured plan before engaging in further large-scale promotions.

“We’ve been both blessed and burdened by tourism, and now burdened with overtourism, which has become a major issue,” he said. “There are safety risks posed by large crowds, it puts a strain on local businesses, and brings potential damage to the borough’s historic infrastructure.”

Jim Thorpe Police Chief Joe Schatz acknowledged that while the town benefits from tourism, managing large crowds has become increasingly difficult, especially outside of peak autumn months.

“It’s been busy for Christmas weekends and all,” Schatz said. “We reached out to Sen. Argall’s office and hope that funding from state-level tourism initiatives could help mitigate some of the issues. Gov. (Josh) Shapiro is big on tourism. We’re looking to tap into that for added safety barriers and things of that nature.”

Councilman Mike Yeastedt, who along with Councilwoman Joanne Klitsch voted against denying the request, warned that rejecting promotional opportunities could be detrimental to the local economy.

“Tourism is the primary industry of Jim Thorpe. Without it, the town would suffer financially,” Yeastedt said. “Britalians TV wanted to do a documentary on Jim Thorpe as the Gem of Pennsylvania for worldwide distribution. Jim Thorpe is already the Switzerland of America, being the Gem of Pennsylvania would be an additional accolade.”

Yeastedt downplayed concerns that the documentary would lead to a sudden influx of tourists.

“It’s not anything people don’t already know, and I don’t see a sudden influx of tourists from outside the USA rushing to visit just because Jim Thorpe is featured on Britalians TV in London,” he said. “If we’re not careful how we market Jim Thorpe, we will lose the only industry we have.”