Economic Development: September 2004 Economic Development Report

September 2004 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
September 2004 Report

Economic Development Update

Projects
Preparation of the Historic District nomination to be reviewed by Board of the Department of Historic Resources in September (Hamner Home nomination is on the same agenda for review)
Assisting Industrial Development Authority to replace Route 29 gateway signs - VDOT has approved the placement of the northern entrance sign in the median
Worked with regional media on anniversary of Hurricane Camille
Board of Supervisors and Industrial Development Authority met to authorize the policy document for the handling of economic development prospects
The Board of Supervisors authorized the name change of the Industrial Development Authority to the Economic Development Authority
Assisted with the August 19 Blue Rose Acoustic Guild benefit concert
Preparing for the target business study visit September 2004
Monitoring progress of VDOTâs Tourist Oriented Directional Signage program

Montebello Fish Hatchery Visitation
August 2004 ö 1204

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

Meetings
August 3 ö new business prospect
August 5 ö Board of Supervisors and Industrial Development Authority
August 9 ö Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development
August 10 ö Report to Board of Supervisors about Lovingston Planning Grant
August 23 ö conference with target business study consultant
August 24 ö Charlottesville Small Business Development Center
August 24 ö VDOT ö gateway sign approval
August 25 ö Amherst Economic Development Director
August 26 ö business retention visit
August 30 ö business retention visit

Tourism Update

Projects
Placed information on Tripsouth.com
Horseshoe Mountain Lodge open house August 24
Planning for the opening the Piedmont Phase of the Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries Birding Trail September 29-30, 2004
Organizing September 11-19, 2004 Taste of Nelson event

Marketing and Promotion
Offered orchard or winery information to Travel Channel
August 17 event at Mossy Creek 2
August 24 event at Horseshoe Mountain Lodge
14 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses
Assisting Roanoke CVB with pre and post tours for the Outdoor Writers Association of America conference in 2007

Taste of Nelson
An event poster and event brochure has been printed and distributed. The event is the only first-time event that was selected by the Virginia Tourism Corporation to be promoted by their travel writer campaign. More than 90 travel writers were contacted by the state to cover the event.   The press release has been mailed to more than 200 print, radio and television contacts. The events are listed on every online calendar we work with ö including Blue Ridge Country magazine and the Virginia Tourism Corporation calendars.
We have print ads running in the Daily Progress and Plus sections, Nelson County Times and Amherst paper, The Hook and C-ville Weekly. Radio spots will run daily on WNRN from September 6-17th. Wintergreen Resort will send out the information to its homeowners and residents via an email blast, as well as promote it through their recreation department. Nelson County Parks and Recreationâs fall tab will include mention of the activities.

Meetings
August 3-5 ö Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting in Lynchburg
August 3 ö Hospitality and Travel Association B & B tour
August 17 ö Open house at Mossy Creek 2
August 19 ö Hospitality and Travel Association Annual Meeting
August 24 ö Open house at Horseshoe Mountain Lodge
August 25 ö Taste of Nelson
August 26 ö Taste of Nelson

Tourism Statistics
                 August 2004        YTD 2004          August 2003         YTD 2003
Phone               115                      1370                  152                         146
Labels               180                      7180                  1128                       5199
Internet             37054                  92,290                7102                     50,830
Walk In             1234                    8264                  1058                      6440
Taxes               July 2004       YTD 2004           July 2003        YTD 2003
Lodging             $22,460              115,600               17,168            109,338
Meals                $44,423              286,133               40,704             257,695

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches ö 803 Number of articles - 27
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers ö
Nelson County received $19,007 in advertising through print media sources