Economic Development: March 2006 Economic Development Report

March 2006 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
March 2006 Report

Economic Development Update
Projects
•   Online business directory now complete and categorized by occupation
•   Facilitating Schuyler historic district project –public meeting 4/4/06
•   Facilitating the historic district signage for Lovingston
•   Managing Lovingston Revitalization planning grant –construction grant application is due 3/22/06
•   Marketing Central Virginia Small Business Development Center seminars and coordinating monthly onsite sessions Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives and Business Appreciation event

February Meetings
February 1 – Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development
February 2 – Economic Development Authority
February 3 – Staff retreat with Board of Supervisors
February 7 – Common Vision luncheon - Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development and Piedmont Technology Council
February 8 – Nellysford Planning Process
February 14 – Board of Supervisors
February 17 – Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission
February 24 – Lovingston Revitalization Project
February 24 – Department of Historic Resources –Schuyler historic district
February 28 – Callohill request for proposal due

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 5 new prospects and 4 ongoing relationships

Tourism Update
Projects

•   Developing a framework for the 2007 Nelson County Bicentennial
•   Working with Explore Nelson Wine and orchards on Taste of Nelson event August 18-19, 2006
•   Planning Jamestown 2007 events
•   Arranging for the installation of signage for the Watchable Wildlife program

Marketing and Promotion
•   media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses
•   Promoted Explore Nelson Wine and the Monticello Wine Trail with Charlottesville/Albemarle for a PBS program, White House Chronicles
•   Promoted Nelson County in the U S Air Magazine profile on Charlottesville – Jefferson’s Virginia (May 2006)
•   Organizing familiarization tours of local wineries and accommodations
•   Following up on leads generated from Travel South

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

Meetings
February 2 – Explore Nelson Wine
February 3 – Staff retreat with Board of Supervisors
February 6 – Bicentennial committee
February 14 – Board of Supervisors
February 16– Travel South Center State 29 motorcoach operator familiarization tour
February 18-21 – Travel South
February 23 – Taste of Nelson
February 23 – Explore Nelson Wine
February 28 – Bicentennial committee

Tourism Statistics
               February 2006   YTD 2006   February 2005   YTD 2005
Phone       124                      1,895              138                      1666
Internet    75,446                 493,156          50,198       307,718
Walk In   514                      8,023              486                       7,732

Taxes       January 2006   YTD 2006   January 2005   YTD 2005
Lodging   $22,834            122,781         16,713              115,119
Meals       $44,427          287,825         40,532               281,373

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches – 940 Number of articles - 39
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $22,250 in advertising through print media sources