By DAN TELVOCK
Spotsylvania supervisors face criticism from hotel owners, Fredericksburg officials and tourism proponents for opting out of the Fredericksburg Area Tourism program.
"I think the region will suffer because of that decision as far as marketing is concerned," said Hampton Inn General Manager Terry English yesterday. "We end up being the big losers."
Prior to the Tuesday meeting, English gave supervisors a letter signed by six other county hotel managers supporting FAT. The hotel managers asked to address the board Tuesday night, but were denied the opportunity.
Although Spotsylvania County has more than two dozen various regional agreements, some think the recent decision leaves a perception that supervisors don't support regionalism. Supervisors voted 7-0 Tuesday to opt out of FAT.
FAT, which Fredericksburg officials manage, supports tourism in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Spotsylvania and Stafford pay $193,200 a year for the services. The city pays $310,700. The marketing relationship started in 1994. Stafford's economic development staff is recommending the county remain active in FAT.
Spotsylvania Economic Development Director Russell Seymour's 10-page report detailed the reasons staff recommended opting out. Supervisors had to make a decision by July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.
"We did not feel that the current regional effort was being utilized in the best means to promote businesses and tourism in Spotsylvania County," he said. "Staff believes that given the money and the staff time we can do more to promote our local businesses and attractions across the board."
Fredericksburg City Councilman Matt Kelly said he's tired of Spotsylvania supervisors complaining.
"I don't think it does regional cooperation much good," Kelly said about the decision.
He said the timing of the decision is ironic. During a Committee of 500 forum Sunday, Kelly sat with three supervisors touting regionalism. Supervisor Jerry Logan even said "regional cooperation is alive and well in Spotsylvania County." Logan didn't return a message seeking comment on the FAT decision.
Kelly said all references to Spotsylvania County and its businesses on the FAT Web site, VisitFred.com, will be removed.
Fredericksburg Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob Hagan doesn't think regional cooperation is healthy in Spotsylvania County.
"You might say that it is on life support at the moment," said Hagan, who is a former Spotsylvania supervisor. "They know they need it but they haven't come to grips with how it should be done."
Hagan said that although the chamber has mentioned a regional visitors and convention bureau that would have taken over the role of FAT, all five jurisdictions in the region needed to support it. King George didn't.
However, the chamber is moving ahead with creation of a tourism council, which Hagan said is not intended to replace FAT.
Supervisor Hap Connors said he favors the Chamber's convention and visitors bureau approach because an independent body would manage the effort.
"I will pursue that," he said. "I think the board grew tired of this 'take it or leave it' attitude. We tried to negotiate a fee for service and we were rebuffed."
Supervisor Gary Jackson said the board's decision is being overblown.
"This is not a big deal," he said. "We are talking less than $200,000 a year toward a joint marketing program. That's all this is."
Jackson said the county's tourism sites and programs need to mature more before they are aggressively marketed.
"I don't have a problem working with a regional tourism effort, but I am just not satisfied with what we're doing," Jackson said.
Kevin Gullette, Fredericksburg director of economic development and tourism, said he asked Seymour for an opportunity to persuade supervisors to stay with FAT, but never heard back.
"I left it in their court," he said. "You can't fix a regional organization from the outside. You've got to stay involved. We have never heard directly what it is we are quote, unquote, doing wrong."
spotsylvania.va.us/onlineservices/agendas. Click on agenda for 6/26/07 for the staff report on FAT, called Tourism MOU. Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438| BIG DEAL?
Spotsylvania hotel owners believe supervisors' decision to opt out of the Fredericksburg Area Tourism effort will affect them.
"Pulling out now will mean the business we worked on developing through FAT all these years will all be placed only at the new hotels in Central Park," states a letter written by Hampton Inn General Manager Terry English and signed by six local other hotel managers. In 2006, the Transient Occupancy Tax on hotel rooms provided $947,200.61 in county revenue. The letter states there isn't enough demand in the area for all of the hotel rooms. "We must increase the demand in the market. Now is not the time to change game plans." FAT BENEFIT? Fredericksburg Area Tourism's independent study on the effectiveness of the advertising showed Spotsylvania received $2.33 direct return for every $1 spent. Stafford received $2.25 and Fredericksburg $1.74. |