March 8, 2006
GOOD NEWS TRAVELS FAST
We know this isn’t your regularly scheduled Friday GovNET,
but we couldn’t wait until the end of the week to tell you the good news out of Columbia!
$2 Million Tourism Marketing Matching Grant Program Makes It into the House Budget
New funding exclusively for destination-specific tourism marketing was successfully approved this week as part of the House’s draft budget. The matching grant program, which requires a destination to match $2 in private funds for every $1 in state money, could actually grow as large as $6 million. If so, this would be the single largest tourism program the state has ever offered. Groups already involved in tourism marketing, such as the chamber, would be eligible for the grant and would be required to use the money to market out of state.
Needless to say, we are backing this grant 100 percent and are extremely excited about the possibilities it holds for the Grand Strand. With the increase in rooms to fill and the fact that we’re falling further and further behind our competitors in marketing dollars, a grant such as this could help us stay competitive and market in areas we traditionally don’t because we lack the funds to do so. The House still needs to approve the budget, which should be debated within the next few weeks. We are extremely eager to see this grant stay in the budget!
Senate Education Committee Passes Late School Start Bill
The Uniform Late School Start Date Bill (H. 4429) passed the Senate’s Education Committee with flying colors today. What’s next? The bill should be in the full Senate within the next month. We’re hopeful the full Senate will grade just as far above the curve as the committee did and the bill will become law soon.
