Economic Development: May 2006 Economic Development Report

May 2006 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
May 2006 Report

Economic Development Update

Project
•   Online business directory now complete and categorized by occupation
•   Facilitating Schuyler historic district project –final public meeting 5/4/06
•   Managing the installation of historic district signage for Lovingston
•   Lovingston Revitalization planning process – awaiting construction grant award
•   Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives and Business Appreciation event (June 15, 2006)

April Meetings
April 3 – business prospect
April 4 – Lovingston Revitalization Project
April 4 – Schuyler Historic District
April 5 – Piedmont Community College-Monticello Wine Trail-South Africa project
April 6 – Economic Development Authority meeting
April 11 – Explore Nelson Wine
April 11 – Board of Supervisors update on Schuyler Historic District
April 13 – Virginia Downtown Development Association
April 14 – Explore Nelson Wine
April 18 – business prospect
April 26-27 – Community Development Block Grant workshop (Lovingston Revitalization Project)
April 27 – Shenandoah County Economic Development Council

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 3 new prospects and 5 ongoing relationships

Tourism Update
Projects
•   Working with Land Rover on May 12-13 Spring Rallye
•   Working with Virginia Film Office on an art film on location in Afton
•   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
•   33 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses
•   Wintergreen Resort Spa featured in Southern Living
•   Organizing familiarization tours of local wineries and accommodations

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

April Meetings
April 4 – Lynchburg and Bedford Tourism
Regional Tourism Summit
April 11 – Explore Nelson Wine
April 12 –Taste of Nelson
April 13 – Virginia Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus
April 14 – Explore Nelson Wine
April 19 – Taste of Nelson
April 24-25 - Virginia Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus Tourism Summit
April 28 – Virginia Film Office

Tourism Statistics
                                               Fiscal               Fiscal
   April 2006   YTD 2006   April 2005   YTD 2005
Phone   305       2356       111       2064
Internet 60494       641227       51163       405516
Walk In   971       9663       693       9216

Taxes   March 2006   YTD 2006   March 2005   YTD 2005
Lodging   $24842       175339       15258       155850
Meals   $36075       375755       42442       378573

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches – 357 Number of articles - 13
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $8450 in advertising through print media sources