What will draw visitors to Centre County post-pandemic? Second round of grants aims to help
Following a $2.7 million loss in hotel tax revenue in 2020, the Centre County tourism industry is optimistic that local attractions are beginning to see progress as they plan for a future after the COVID-19 pandemic.
To boost local businesses and attractions in their efforts to operate amid statewide restrictions, the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and county board of commissioners announced Thursday the second round of recipients for the 2020 Tourism Grant fund. The awards aim to benefit and support events being planned for 2021.
“It’s great to see the students returning to campus. It’s great that we held a couple of sports, basketball tournaments over the last couple of weekends,” HVAB President and CEO Fritz Smith said. “That has helped us elevate the hotel occupancy in the area. We were almost halfway full at our hotels this past weekend, and after a very dismal December and January, it’s great to see some progress in that arena.”
The first round of grant recipients was announced in June. After receiving 61 requests from 56 local organizations, totaling more than $1.4 million, the HVAB awarded funds in two rounds. The first allocation totaled $387,300 to 44 organizations to use for projects or advertising to help draw visitors to the area. The second round of funding totaled at $79,000 and was divided among six recipients.
“We are pleased that despite the hardships presented by COVID-19, the grant program has and will continue to provide some level of funding assistance to events and projects that make Happy Valley inviting to visitors and that create a highly desirable quality of life for local residents,” Smith said.
The following projects were awarded funding from the grant allocation:
- Provisions Magazine: $10,000 to help revitalize, manage and promote Happy Valley Restaurant Week
- Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum: $5,000 for the first phase of a three-phase project to enhance the museum property
- Wildlife for Everyone Foundation: $9,000 to hold an event that will raise funds for the ADA-complaint Soaring Eagle Wetlands project
- Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation: $5,000 for its Antique Appraisal Day and Wine Walk
- Tempest Productions: $20,000 for the Theatre and Dance Fest in downtown State College
- Lucky Dog Management: $30,000 to organize and promote Happy Valley Music Fest
“We, myself and the rest of the board of commissioners, continue to be in awe of the sacrifices that you as local organizations in our hospitality and restaurant industry, made in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic,” Commissioner Michael Pipe said. “Because of your sacrifices, our community remains and will continue to remain a place where we are making sure that we are safe, and we’re looking out for our friends and loved ones during this very difficult pandemic.”
The PRC had to cancel its biggest annual event, the Wine Walk, due to the pandemic. But PRC member and owner of Shindig Alley Kevin Murphy said the nonprofit is committed to planning for the future and organizing community events. The grant money helps make fundraisers possible, Murphy said.
“We love our little town,” Murphy said — adding that the PRC has consistently received support from the commissioners and HVAB. “It shows down here. Things are really starting to happen in our great little town, Philipsburg.”
The Wildlife for Everyone Foundation will use the funds to plan its Great Outdoor Picnic, its main fundraiser. Tentatively scheduled for June 26 at Penns Cave and Wildlife Park, Barbara Schroeder, public relations coordinator, said the event aims to introduce youth to outdoor sports and raise money for the new Soaring Eagle Wetland in Huston Township. This year, the foundation hopes to have more booths and interactive activities to extend knowledge of outdoor recreation, Schroeder said.
Applications or the 2021 Tourism Grant program will open soon; the application deadline is April 30. Priority will be given to proposals that generate significant visitation from outside Centre County and promote overnight stays, Smith said. However, the HVAB and county commissioners said they are willing to provide financial support to as many projects as possible to help the community recover from the pandemic.
“We think we’ll be ahead of the pack when it comes to people wanting to get away from it all, and we have the product that they want and need,” Smith said.
