Fayette County Awarded TNECD Tourism Enhancement Grant
Memphis, TN – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development
Commissioner Randy Boyd announced that 29 communities will receive more than $1 million in Tourism Enhancement Grants to assist with tourism infrastructure assets.
Fayette County will receive $10,000 to develop a Tourism Asset Plan. Fayette County is one of 29 communities out of 50 applicants to receive funding from the Tourism Enhancement Grant.
“Fayette County has many tourism assets cultural, historic, and natural sites unique to the state and region. We have partnered with Fayette County and Oakland Regional Chamber, Memphis Area Association of Governments and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to help market these great attractions beyond our county limits. While these special places are well-known and can be easily identified from within the county, an asset plan will allow us to promote these attractions to a larger audience, generate a better experience for our visitors, and assess the potential of other assets to strengthen our economic impact. Fayette County generated $8.64 million in direct tourism expenditures and created 80 jobs in 2015. I would like to see us not only sustain tourism but support tourism as a mainstay of our local economy”, stated Fayette County Mayor Rhea “Skip” Taylor.
The Tourism Enhancement Grants were jointly funded by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development with the assistance of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Each application was supported by the community’s senator and representative in the Tennessee General Assembly.