Visitor Commission Awards Grant Requests
March 11, 2021 at 12:37 a.m.
By Teresa [email protected]
Mark Knecht asked for $2,500 to promote five Oakwood Chautauqua – Wawasee events. That was reduced to $1,000, two $500 promotion grants, for the Wawasee Fine Arts Festival and the Old Fashioned Christmas by commissioners Tammy Kratzer, Jo Paczkowski, Kathy Ray and Ron Robinson.
Lyn Crighton, of The Watershed Foundation, requested $1,000, two $500 promotion grants, for the upcoming Smithsonian Water Ways Exhibit and the Dance Through the Decades event at Tippy Ballroom. The Water Ways Exhibit was approved for a promotion grant.
Erlene Yentis, representing the Tour d’Lakes bike event, asked for $2,500 for advertising, which was reduced to $1,250.
Kratzer, Commission president, presented a financial review in the absence of treasurer John Hall.
She said there is $78,500 earmarked for grants, but not disbursed. The January balance was $642,321; $48,860 income; and $96,500 in expenses for a Feb. 28 balance of $594,681.
The innkeepers tax revenues were down almost 50% from 2019 levels.
Ray, the local Hampton Inn director, said occupancy at the motel is at 45% for March, where it’s usually at 74% occupancy. “We’re back to 2008 room rates, $100 per room, instead of $152 per room,” she said.
Kratzer addressed the applicants in attendance, saying it’s a luxury to give money for so many events, but it is the innkeeper tax revenue that provides the funding.
She reminded everyone only out-of-county advertising will be reimbursed and asked that everyone do their best to track out-of county visitors.
Karl Swihart, City County Athletic Complex (CCAC) director, received a $40,000 grant for 2021 operating expenses in September.
Swihart said the complex was hit hard by the pandemic and really didn’t get underway until June 13. Last fall, he reported the CCAC had a $200,000 loss and drew on a $50,000 line of credit.
He expects everything to turn around this season, with tournaments bringing in 900 to 1,000 teams. However, there is the matter of sidewalk repair. He requested and received $35,000 for the capital improvement at the athletic complex.
Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Jill Boggs presented several marketing pieces now available on the CVB website, www.visitkosciuskocounty.org. She said the latest travel information indicates things won’t get back to normal for a couple of years.
Her hotel occupancy report shows the industry is down 39.5% statewide for 2020. Locally, the county innkeeper’s tax collection was down $238,900 for 2020.
The CVB’s Paycheck Protection Program amount was $27,500 and will be spent for marketing. The organization also received an extra $3,200 from a state destination marketing grant, bringing the total to $35,000, which also will be spent for marketing.
The Visitor’s Guide will be ready for distribution at the end of May. Boggs said there are 67 advertisers, $47,000 in income with $3,000 in trade.
Mitch Randall, the CVB’s marketing and communications manager, presented the Bandwingo program, a destination marketing and commerce platform. The program allows people to travel “trails” and receive awards at certain locations or at the end of the journey.
Randall said several local destinations could be included in Indiana’s system or they could be developed specifically for the county. Costs to join the system are $11,500 initially with annual upkeeps of $14,500.
Boggs said the program provides valuable data about visitors and it would be a great engagement tool to promote the county’s top assets.
In final business, an audit engagement letter with Dahms & Yarian was approved.
David Gustafson, Mark Skibowski and Hall were absent.
The next KCCRVC meeting is May 11 at 9 a.m. in the old courtroom in the courthouse.
Mark Knecht asked for $2,500 to promote five Oakwood Chautauqua – Wawasee events. That was reduced to $1,000, two $500 promotion grants, for the Wawasee Fine Arts Festival and the Old Fashioned Christmas by commissioners Tammy Kratzer, Jo Paczkowski, Kathy Ray and Ron Robinson.
Lyn Crighton, of The Watershed Foundation, requested $1,000, two $500 promotion grants, for the upcoming Smithsonian Water Ways Exhibit and the Dance Through the Decades event at Tippy Ballroom. The Water Ways Exhibit was approved for a promotion grant.
Erlene Yentis, representing the Tour d’Lakes bike event, asked for $2,500 for advertising, which was reduced to $1,250.
Kratzer, Commission president, presented a financial review in the absence of treasurer John Hall.
She said there is $78,500 earmarked for grants, but not disbursed. The January balance was $642,321; $48,860 income; and $96,500 in expenses for a Feb. 28 balance of $594,681.
The innkeepers tax revenues were down almost 50% from 2019 levels.
Ray, the local Hampton Inn director, said occupancy at the motel is at 45% for March, where it’s usually at 74% occupancy. “We’re back to 2008 room rates, $100 per room, instead of $152 per room,” she said.
Kratzer addressed the applicants in attendance, saying it’s a luxury to give money for so many events, but it is the innkeeper tax revenue that provides the funding.
She reminded everyone only out-of-county advertising will be reimbursed and asked that everyone do their best to track out-of county visitors.
Karl Swihart, City County Athletic Complex (CCAC) director, received a $40,000 grant for 2021 operating expenses in September.
Swihart said the complex was hit hard by the pandemic and really didn’t get underway until June 13. Last fall, he reported the CCAC had a $200,000 loss and drew on a $50,000 line of credit.
He expects everything to turn around this season, with tournaments bringing in 900 to 1,000 teams. However, there is the matter of sidewalk repair. He requested and received $35,000 for the capital improvement at the athletic complex.
Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Jill Boggs presented several marketing pieces now available on the CVB website, www.visitkosciuskocounty.org. She said the latest travel information indicates things won’t get back to normal for a couple of years.
Her hotel occupancy report shows the industry is down 39.5% statewide for 2020. Locally, the county innkeeper’s tax collection was down $238,900 for 2020.
The CVB’s Paycheck Protection Program amount was $27,500 and will be spent for marketing. The organization also received an extra $3,200 from a state destination marketing grant, bringing the total to $35,000, which also will be spent for marketing.
The Visitor’s Guide will be ready for distribution at the end of May. Boggs said there are 67 advertisers, $47,000 in income with $3,000 in trade.
Mitch Randall, the CVB’s marketing and communications manager, presented the Bandwingo program, a destination marketing and commerce platform. The program allows people to travel “trails” and receive awards at certain locations or at the end of the journey.
Randall said several local destinations could be included in Indiana’s system or they could be developed specifically for the county. Costs to join the system are $11,500 initially with annual upkeeps of $14,500.
Boggs said the program provides valuable data about visitors and it would be a great engagement tool to promote the county’s top assets.
In final business, an audit engagement letter with Dahms & Yarian was approved.
David Gustafson, Mark Skibowski and Hall were absent.
The next KCCRVC meeting is May 11 at 9 a.m. in the old courtroom in the courthouse.
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