Economic Development: November 2005 Economic Development Report

November 2005 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
November 2005 Report

Economic Development Update
Projects
•   www.nelsoncounty.com now has a geographic cluster map counter on the home page
•   Nomination for Friends of the Rockfish stream restoration project resulted in award from Scenic Virginia
•   Facilitating the Nellysford Planning process –the second community meeting is planned for November 22, 2005
•   Facilitating Schuyler historic district project – first community meeting was held 9/21; survey work was completed on schedule
•   Managing Lovingston Revitalization planning grant project – transportation enhancement fund application was submitted November 1, 1005
•   Marketing Small Business Development Center seminars and coordinating monthly onsite sessions
•   Working on the online business directory (800 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
October 3 – Virginia Society of Association Executives tradeshow with Lynchburg Tourism
October 4 – Lovingston Revitalization Project Management Team meeting
October 6 – Virginia Piedmont Technology Council conference
October 11 – Commonwealth Transportation Board
October 12 – Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau
October 13 – new business prospect
October 14 – Virginia Business Review
October 17 – Central Virginia Small Business Development Center Advisory Council
October 20 – Region 2000 Technology Council seminar
October 20 – public meeting for the Blue Ridge Tunnel project
October 24-25 – Virginia Rural Leadership Conference
October 27 – Center for Innovative Technology workshop
October 28 – Virginia Tourism Corporation Fall Caucus

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 3 new prospects and 1 ongoing relationship

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
•   15 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses
•   Promoted Virginia Corporation Canadian Savings program
•   Nominated attractions for Virginia Field Trips Magazine
•   Working with 2007 AAA TourBook for tourism listings
•   Southern Living staff visited Dickie Brothers Orchard for a September 2006 article
•   Wintergreen Winery wines will be honored at a reception at Capitol Hill for the Congressional Wine Caucus and others

Montebello Fish Hatchery
716 paid visitors in October 2005

Meetings
October 3 – Virginia Society of Association Executives tradeshow with Lynchburg Tourism
October 12 – Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau
October 28 – Virginia Tourism Corporation Fall Caucus

Tourism Statistics
                October 2005   YTD 2005   October 2004   YTD 2004
Phone        334               3,056            149                    1,680
Internet     72,447            553,970       46,775                177,975
Walk In   1,569                11,224       1609                    10,691

Taxes   September 2005   YTD 2005   September 2004   YTD 2004
Lodging   $15,275            134,533       14,419                    145,104
Meals      $41,030            359,442        40,081                    372,203

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches – 1,152    Number of articles - 40
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $27,268 in advertising through print media sources