February 2009 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
Board of Supervisors Report
February 2009

Projects
• Appointed to Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services local rural economic development directors committee
• Participating as a speaker in the Commonwealth Scholars program
• Coordinating Afton Greenwood historic district
• Member of Blue Ridge Medical Center advisory committee
• Successful grant application for regional beer trail to VA Tourism Corporation
• Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Broadband Planning Grant – final report to Board of Supervisors February 10, 2009
• Local Food Hub project
• Virginia Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the Civil War Committee
• 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway Planning Committee
• Working with Wintergreen Resort on marketing initiatives
• Selected to host April 2009 Virginia Tourism Summit at Wintergreen Resort
• Coordinating JAUNT and Planning District Commission proposal for transportation for the Economic Development Authority
• Working with Dept. of Parks and Recreation on state Blueways Trail and state Fishing Trails

January Meetings
January 8 – Economic Development Authority
January 9 – Wintergreen Resort
January 13 – Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development – BRAC project
January 15 – Lodging meeting
January 16 – Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development
January 21 – 40th commemoration of Hurricane Camille committee
January 22 – Virginia Tourism Corporation
January 22 – Small Business Development Center
January 23 – Virginia Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus
January 28 – Rural Development broadband webinair
January 30 – Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau

Montebello Fish Hatchery
72 visitors in January 2009

Tourism Statistics Fiscal
January 2009 YTD 2009 January 2008 YTD 2008
Phone 502 4,321 452 3,458
Internet 305,888 2,120,860 265,040 1,798,264
Walk In 413 6,403 921 8,566

Taxes December 2008 YTD 2008 December 2007 YTD 2007
Lodging $ 46,620 222,985 47,451 224,852
Meals $48,641 269,738 46,353 245,422