Economic Development: October 2005 Economic Development Report

October 2005 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
October 2005 Report

Economic Development Update
Projects
Facilitating the Nellysford Planning process – 175 people attended the 9/26 community meeting; the second community meeting is planned for November 2005
Facilitating Schuyler historic district project – first community meeting was held 9/21; survey work is complete
Managing Lovingston Revitalization planning grant project – final public meeting is set for 10/27
Marketing Small Business Development Center seminars and coordinating monthly onsite sessions (10/11 is the second seminar)
Working on the online business directory (600 of the 1100 business license holders now in the system)
Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives and business retention visits
Working with Wintergreen Resort to change the GSA per diem

Meetings
September 1 – Economic Development Authority
September 9 – Nellysford Community Planning Meeting – facilitator’s training
September 13 – Small Business Development Center seminar – How to Start a Business
September 13 – Wintergreen Resort report to Board of Supervisors
September 14 – State Review Board Department of Historic Resources –Lovingston Historic District
September 19 – Virginia Economic Development Partnership
September 19- business retention visit
September 20 – Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development Annual Symposium – Why Economic Development ?
September 20 – Nelson County Chamber of Commerce membership meeting – update on Lovingston, Schuyler and Nellysford projects
September 21 – Schuyler Historic District public meeting
September 22 – Blue Ridge Tunnel
September 26 – Nellysford Planning Project – first community meeting
September 27 – Board of Supervisors-Economic Development Authority- Wintergreen Resort
September 30 – Community Development Foundation – Lovingston housing survey

Recruitment and Retention
Working with no new prospects and 4 ongoing relationships

Tourism Update
Projects
Staff is assisting at the Rockfish Gap (Afton) Visitor Center on Fridays and Saturdays – Saunders Brother Orchard is supplying peaches and apples
Working with Amherst County and Lynchburg on the August 2007 Dixie Youth Sports event
Working with Virginia Tourism Corporation on Travel South February 2006 Showcase (Richmond)
Developing a framework for the 2007 Nelson County Bicentennial
Working with Explore Nelson Wine on marketing to Wintergreen Resort
Planning Jamestown 2007 events
Working with Lynchburg CVB and 7 other localities on a tourism attraction passport program

Marketing and Promotion
16 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses
Web site and brochure nominated for National Association of Public Relations A web site and brochure
September Virginia Living magazine features Drumhellers Orchard, Blue Ridge Tunnel and Piney River Rail Trail
Updated Fun with the Family publication
Updated Lynchburg Life information about Nelson County
Distributed information about listing in the Virginia Travel Guide for Persons with Disabilities
Submitted information to Google.com/local
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission’s Heritage Tourism Toolbox has been nominated for a best practices award
Submitted community information to Yellow Book USA
The next version of the Virginia state map (spring 2006) will feature the commemoration of America's 400th Anniversary as a theme. The map will highlight the 124+ official Virginia 2007 Communities located across the
Commonwealth – including Nelson County

Montebello Fish Hatchery
505 paid visitors in September 2005

Meetings
September 12 – Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce – Virginia Society of Association Executives fall marketplace
September 15 – Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce – Dixie Youth Baseball
September 16 – Friends of the Rockfish event at Elk Hill
September 19 – Virginia Tourism Corporation – cooperative marketing program
September 21 – Bedford Convention and Visitors Center
September 21 – Schuyler Historic District public meeting
September 28 - Virginia Tourism Corporation – Jamestown 2007 Godspeed Sail

Tourism Statistics
            September 2005   YTD 2005   September 2004       YTD 2004
Phone   307                        2,722            161                            1,531
Labels   419                        5,392            403                            7,583
Internet 58,84                    481,413       43,865                       131,200
Walk In 947                      9,655            818                            9,082

Taxes   August 2005   YTD 2005   August 2004       YTD 2004
Lodging   $17,415       119,258       16,357                    130,685
Meals        $38,504       318,412       39,319                    332,122

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches – 719    Number of articles - 44
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $17,019 in advertising through print media sources