When the Selma Welcome Center closed in January to relocate, we never thought six months would come and go before it would reopen.

The community went through the biggest event in Selma’s history — the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday — as well as smaller events like the Battle of Selma without the center.

That’s a testament to several people and organizations that have met the challenge to make sure tourists have information about what to do and where to stay and eat while in town.

A group of pinch hitters, notably the Selma Interpretive Center, Selma and Dallas County Tourism and the Selma-Dallas County Public Library, have all stepped to the plate to help promote the city and welcome visitors.

Air conditioning problems and other renovations have delayed the welcome center opening, but it’s a shame no center was open to help the hundreds of thousands of tourists who have visited Dallas County this year.

Tourism is vitally important to the city and county, both in terms of tax revenue and jobs.

A story in Tuesday’s newspapers showed travelers spent $86 million and were responsible for 1,087 jobs in Dallas County last year. That’s a major economic impact for a community in the heart of the Black Belt, one of the country’s poorest regions.

Those numbers are expected to grow this year as Selma still basks in national exposure from the major motion picture “Selma” and the Bloody Sunday commemoration.

A functioning welcome center is a key component of capitalizing on tourism and growing that revenue. Selma needs a place that tourists can get recommendations on local attractions, restaurants and hotels as well as pick up souvenirs from their time here.

There’s plenty to do and see in Selma and a welcome center would make sure visitors know that and even encourage them to spend more time and dollars in the Queen City.

However, as the saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait.” The new welcome center, closer to the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge at 14 Broad St., is scheduled to open later this month with a new line of Selma merchandise as well as brochures, maps and general information.

We hope that timeline is accurate, and the welcome center isn’t delayed further. It’s too important for the community to be shuttered much longer.