March 2, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caryn Gresham
304-558-2288, ext. 347
cgresham@callwva.com

Tourism Commission lifts stay on grant program

Following the recommendation of Gov. Bob Wise, the West Virginia Tourism Commission today unanimously voted to lift the stay on the review and approval of grants submitted for the Cooperative Tourism Promotion Fund.

The commission’s Grant Committee will review grants on March 17, and the commission will vote on approvals March 18.

Dave Arnold, Tourism Commission chairman, said, “The tourism industry in West Virginia has strong momentum for growth. When Gov. Wise recommended we lift this two-month stay, he demonstrated support for the industry and gave us the opportunity to move ahead.”

The commission has not reviewed or approved grants since the stay was issued Jan. 20. At the March meetings, more than 30 grants will be considered to receive matching grants under the Cooperative Tourism Promotion Fund.

“Recognizing that our industry partners need to make decisions on the projects in each grant, we will review all grants that have been submitted during the stay and make decisions on all of them this month,” Arnold said.

The West Virginia Division of Tourism is notifying tourism industry members who have grants in the application process about modifications they must make before their grants are reviewed later this month.

The Tourism Commission imposed the stay following the Governor’s legislative recommendation that funds allotted to the grant program be reallocated for use among the tourism program, a new Economic Development promotion program and a higher education research program.

The Governor recommended that the stay be lifted on Feb. 28 when the Tourism Commission voted to support an amended proposal to his legislation.

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West Virginia Division of Tourism • 90 MacCorkle Ave., SW • South Charleston, WV 25303

304-558-2200 or 1-800-CALL-WVA • FAX: 304-558-2459 • www.callwvanews.com