Economic Development: December 2005 Economic Development Report

December 2005 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
December 2005 Report

Economic Development Update
Projects
•    Producing economic development profile of Nelson County with Dominion Virginia Power
•    Charlottesville Chapter of the Service Corps of Retired Executive now serves Nelson County businesses
•    now has a geographic cluster map counter on the home page – now analyzing web site using google analytics
•    Facilitating the Nellysford Planning process –the second community meeting held November 22, 2005 – 60 participants attended
•    Facilitating Schuyler historic district project – Board update set for December 13
•    Managing Lovingston Revitalization planning grant – beginning work on DHCD construction grant application
•    Marketing Central Virginia Small Business Development Center seminars and coordinating monthly onsite sessions
•    Working on the online business directory
•    Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives and business retention visits - EDA will fund broadband survey of the county
•    Working with Wintergreen Resort to change the GSA per diem and hotel project

Meetings
November 1 – Wintergreen Resort hotel project
November 1 – business consultant
November 1 – prospective business
November 2 – Explore Nelson Wine
November 3 – Economic Development Authority
November 4 – business retention
November 10 – Service Corps of Retired Executives
November 15 – Dept. of Historic Resources cost share grant application workshop
November 16 – prospective business
November 18 – Virginia Wine Tours
November 30 – Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development
November 30 – business retention

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 3 new prospects and 2 ongoing relationships

Tourism Update
Projects
•    Updated Nelson County 2006 events on the state of Virginia, Charlottesville Albemarle and Lynchburg tourism calendars/websites
•    Submitted Nelson County as a motorcycle friendly place on the website Motorcycle Virginia - www.motorcycleva.com
•    Submitted a proposal to host the 2006 US Challenge event –with Wintergreen Resort and the Charlottesville/Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau
•    Submitted attraction information for the 2007 AAA TourBook
•    The newest collectible miniature, the Oak Ridge Railroad Station is now for sale
•    Submitted Crabtree Falls as a unique kid oriented attraction to the Family Road Atlas being published by the mapping company Rand McNally
•    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
•    10 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses

Montebello Fish Hatchery
390 paid visitors in November 2005

Meetings
November 2 – Explore Nelson Wine
November 7– Nelson County Summer Festival
November 8 – Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau (CACVB) research and branding project
November 18 – Virginia Wine Tours
November 22 – US Challenge event proposal
November 28 – Keep Nelson Beautiful
November 29 – bicentennial

Tourism Statistics
                November 2005    YTD 2005    November 2004        YTD 2004
Phone        126                        3,182            73                            1,753
Internet      44,414                   598,384        34,619                     212,594
Walk In     765                        11,989           846                         11,537


Taxes
                October 2005        YTD 2005    October 2004        YTD 2004
Lodging    $16,922                151,455        14,176                   159,280
Meals        $38,151                397,593        37,576                    409,779

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches – 519 Number of articles - 16
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $12,285 in advertising through print media sources