Economic Development: February 2006 Economic Development Report

February 2006 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
February 2006 Report

Economic Development Update
Projects
•   Online business directory now complete
•   Facilitating Schuyler historic district project
•   Managing Lovingston Revitalization planning grant – third public meeting set for January 31, working on construction grant application
•   Marketing Central Virginia Small Business Development Center seminars and coordinating monthly onsite sessions – 2/14 agribusiness seminar set
•   Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives– EDA funded broadband survey of the county launched 2/6/06

Meetings
January 3 – Lovingston Revitalization Project management team
January 4 – Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development
January 5 – Economic Development Authority
January 12 – business prospect
January 20 – Cumberland County – downtown revitalization
January 23 – bicentennial committee
January 24 – Department of Housing and Community Development How To Workshop for construction grant application
January 26 – Virginia Economic Development Partnership
January 27 – Virginia Economic Development Partnership
January 30 – Central Virginia Small Business Development Center executive committee
January 30 – Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce
January 31 – Virginia Department of Transportation
January 31 – business prospect
January 31 – public hearing for Department of Housing and Community Development block grant application for construction funds for the Lovingston Revitalization Project

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 6 new prospects and 1 ongoing relationship

Tourism Update
Projects
•   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 and orchards on new event
•   Planning Jamestown 2007 events
•   Working with Lynchburg CVB and 7 other localities on a tourism attraction passport program

Marketing and Promotion
•   11 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses
•   Daily Progress is planning a special section for February that focuses on outdoor activities in Central Virginia

Montebello Fish Hatchery
80 visitors in January – Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will not charge visitors in 2006

Meetings
January 6 – Travel South Showcase
January 9-10 – Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau
January 11 – Explore Nelson Wine
January 12 – Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau – Hospitality Network – panel on festivals
January 18 – Virginia Tourism Corporation – Travel South Showcase
January 20 – Nelson County Hospitality and Travel Association
January 23-24 – hosted travel writer from Recreation News
January 24 – Travel South Showcase

Tourism Statistics
                                               Fiscal                                    Fiscal
                    January 2006   YTD 2006   January 2005   YTD 2005
Phone            143                    1771               479                1528
Internet         66,111                471,710        42,216            257,520
Walk In        538                     7,509               397                7,46

Taxes       December 2005   YTD 2005   December 2004   YTD 2004
Lodging   $22,944              99,947            22,152                96,608
Meals       $48,433                243,398           44,134                226,400

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches – 555 Number of articles - 23
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $8,995 in advertising through print media sources