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While other municipalities along the Trans-Canada Highway might be disputed as simply rest stops on a long drive, Mayor Bryce Nimmo of Drumheller says, "Here, a person comes and says, 'I'm going to go to Drumheller because I want to take in a play,' or 'I'm going to Drumheller because of the Canadian Badlands Passion Play, the [Royal Tyrrell] museum or the Atlas coal mine.' They come with an idea of staying."

It's that idea of staying that kept Nimmo and his wife operating a successful bed and breakfast business for 10 years before selling it in 2006. Drumheller satisfied three conditions the Calgary couple were looking for in a place to set up business: they didn't want to "start from scratch," they wanted an older home with character and they wanted to settle in a destination location. In 1996, they turned a large coal-mining era house once owned by one of the region's coal-mining fathers, Jessie Gouge, into Taste the Past Bed & Breakfast. After selling the business, the Nimmos stayed and Bryce ran for municipal office.

"We got [to Drumheller] and discovered the arts that take place here, as well as the spirit of volunteerism people have," says the mayor, "It's really neat."

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in the heart of the Canadian Badlands attracts 400,000 visitors a year alone.

"We'd be the biggest community in this region, not only a hub for tourism, but a hub for retail and a hub for medical services because we have a relatively new hospital," says Ray Telford, economic development officer for the town of Drumheller.

Although some in the area lament the diminished presence of the CN rail line through the town connecting Calgary and Saskatoon, Telford thinks it isn't a hindrance for business, given the town's other qualities. "Other factors that business owners consider would be our close proximity to Calgary. We also have a trucking firm out there, Hi-Way 9, which is based right out of Drumheller, and the cost of land is a lot less expensive than on the Highway 2 corridor." With an average retail lease rate of $6.50 to $8.50 per square foot in the downtown, Drumheller is one of the most affordable communities in the province for business.