The Fremont County Tourism Council on Tuesday awarded $6,500 in grant funding to nine groups which stage community events that attract more visitors to the Royal Gorge region. Among the groups awarded grant funding for 2011 include:
Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival - - $1,500
Florence Arts Council "Paint the Town" - - $500
Florence Chamber of Commerce--web site design - - $500
Florence Merchants Association--Junktique VII - - $500
Holy Smoke BBQ & Holy Cow Blues Fest - - $1,500
Heritage Commission--Spirits of the Past - - $250
Penrose Chamber Apple Day - - $750
Starpoint--Rim to Rim 10K/5K Race - - $500
Zonta Club--Artful Women Exhibition - - $500
Total $6,500
The Tourism Council received applications from 17 different groups seeking $21,700 in grant assistance. The money distributed comes from the two percent lodging tax collected from overnight stays at Fremont County motels, hotels, and campgrounds. Fremont County collected $138,657 in lodging tax revenues in 2010. That was down from $141,000 collected in 2009. The peak year for lodging tax collections since Fremont County voters approved the tax ten years ago was in 2007 when over $162,000 was collected.
Tourism Council by-laws require that five percent of lodging tax revenues be distributed annually to community groups to help them promote events that attract visitors to the area.