A&P Commission Funds Events to Grow Tourism
Last updated Monday, January 12, 2009 7:12 PM CST in News
By Skip Descant
THE MORNING NEWS
FAYETTEVILLE -- The Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission set aside more than $143,000 for more than a dozen Fayetteville events geared toward bringing visitors to town.
However, events with a purely local focus received little if no money from the tourism-promotion agency.
One of the events receiving the most support is the Dickson Street Music Festival, set for late April or early May. The second-year music festival is staged in conjunction with SpringFest and piggybacks on the University of Arkansas Red and White Game as well as RazorFest. The Dickson Street Music Festival asked for $30,000. The commission gave $20,000. Last year, the festival received $25,000.
"I could see that this festival could grow to half the size of Bikes Blues (and Barbecue)," said Neal Crawford, an commissioner and organizer of the popular 10-year motorcycle rally and fundraiser, Bikes, Blues & BBQ.
From a number of philosophical perspectives, the Dickson Street Music Festival represents the kind of event the commission wants to promote: a multiday event that will draw visitors to the area, while at the same time helps to ground Fayetteville as the epicenter of music culture in Northwest Arkansas.
"If we are truly desirous of enhancing our image as the cultural center of Northwest Arkansas, then supporting these music festivals is part of that," Robert Rhoads, a city councilman and a member of the commission told the other commissioners around the table Monday afternoon as the tourism board went through each event to evaluate how much -- if any -- money they might receive.
But other events, such as First Night Fayetteville or the Ozark Iron Chef and Salsa Fest, did not qualify for funding, according to the commissioners.
"Does anyone come in from out of town," Tim Freeman, a commissioner and a manger with the Holiday Inn Express in Fayetteville, wondered when the Ozark Iron Chef event was discussed. The Iron Chef & Salsa Fest event is held in conjunction with a Saturday farmers' market on the downtown square and attracts increased market attendance, say observers of past events. However, those attending are primarily local, Rhoads said.
All told, the commission designated $143,250.
Part of the money -- $12,500 -- was put aside for a University of Arkansas Regional or Super Regional Baseball Tournament. The university will not know until this spring if the tournament is coming to Fayetteville.
The commission did hold back $10,000 that might be requested by the city for the annual Lights of the Ozarks.
By The Numbers
Event Funding
The Fayetteville A&P Commission allocated the most funding to the following events:
Arkansas High School Coaches Clinic and Golf Tournament -- $30,000
University of Arkansas-Hosted Athletic Events -- $24,000
Dickson Street Music Festival -- $20,000
High School All Star Games -- $15,000
Source: Staff Report
Representatives from 27 local events requested $292,250 from the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission. The commission made $143,250 in support grants to 19 events.
Arkansas Air Museum -- $7,000
Arkansas High School Coaches Clinic and Golf Tournament -- $30,000
DECA Marketing Association Prom Fashion -- $3,000
Arkansas High School Coaches Association All Star Games -- $15,000
Northwest Arkansas Coaching Clinic -- $6,000
Saturday of Champions Baseball/Softball Finals -- $4,000
State Soccer Finals, Hosted by Fayetteville High School -- $1,750
Iron Pig Duathlon -- $5,000
Joe Martin Stage Race -- $3,000
Ozark Valley Triathlon -- $1,000
Dickson Street Music Festival -- $20,000
2009 Fayetteville Night JAM and South Central Regional Water-ski Championships -- $5,000
Ozark Military Museum -- $1,500
University of Arkansas College of Engineering Solar Splash -- $5,000
TheatreSquared -- $2,000
UA Baseball Regional/Super Regional Tournament -- $12,500
UA NCAA Track -- $10,000
UA SEC Tennis Tournament -- $1,500
Walton Arts Center Broadway Series -- $10,000
Source: Staff Report
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BCR wrote on Jan 13, 2009 9:47 AM: