Economic Development: September 2006 Economic Development Report

September 2006 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
September 2006 Report

Economic Development Update

Project
Beta testing Virginia Economic Development Partnership occupational cluster analysis
Working with Construction Academy at Piedmont Virginia Community College
Online business directory now complete, categorized by occupation and now being updated with 2006 business license information
Managing the installation of historic district signage for Lovingston
Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives

August Meetings
August -Economic Development Authority
August 4 - business prospect
August 9 - bicentennial event
August 10 - Watchable wildlife sign installation
August 11 - Nellysford Planning Project
August 14 - Dept. of Housing and Community Development
August 15 - Explore Nelson Wine
August 15 - Nellysford Planning Project
August 16 - Virginia Economic Development Partnership
August 17 - Discovery Map
August 18 - Virginia Downtown Development Association
August 21 - Nellysford Planning Project
August 21 - South African Wine International Trust
August 23 - Watchable wildlife sign installation
August 24 - South African Wine International Trust
August 24 - Nelson County Hospitality and Travel Association
August 25 - Nelson County Hospitality and Travel Association
August 29 - business prospect
August 29 - Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development
August 31 - Charlottesville Economic Development-Bulgaria exchange
August 31 - Regional economic development forum

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 1 new prospects and 4 ongoing relationships

Tourism Update
Projects
DelFosse Winery's September 9 Winemaker's Wine Dinner to be televised for The Endless Feast to air on PBS in spring 2007 - the theme of "Go Fresh, Go Local"
Working with Monticello and the Washington Redskins on a pre-season contest promotion
Watchable Wildlife program signs installed
Dickie Brothers featured in September issue of Southern Living
Nelson County - cover story in the September-October issue of Virginia Lifestyles
Richmond Life featured Crabtree Falls in August issue
Orlando Sentinel featured Explore Nelson Wine - Sunday 8/20/06 issue
Invited to serve as panelist for South African Winery program - wine marketing
Pitched 8 Nelson County homes to Home and Garden TV for highly unusual VA homes
Contributed to Charlottesville Chamber Quarterly Report article "Winery of Dreams", by Neil Williamson
Working with regional partners on an illustrative map - Discovery map
Working with VA Production Services Directory and VA Film office on film locations
Contributed to 9/14/06 Real Estate Weekly article on Schuyler historic district

Montebello Fish Hatchery
560 visitors in August

Tourism Statistics
                                        Fiscal                Fiscal
                August 2006    YTD 2007    August 2005    YTD 2006
Phone        174                339                398                    685
Internet      164,164        269,917        60,000               126,337
Walk In    1,164             2,608              1,479                 3,207

Taxes        July 2006    YTD 2006        July 2005        YTD 2005
Lodging    $25,753        25,753            15,265            15,265
Meals        $43,370        43,370            41,989            41,989

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches - 805 Number of articles - 24
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers
Nelson County received $19,054.35 in advertising through print media sources