American Canoe Association board coming to check out Fredericksburg this weekend

Date published: 7/19/2007

By RUSTY DENNEN

Fredericksburg will be wining and dining the American Canoe Association over the weekend.

The 50,000-member paddling trade group, based in Northern Virginia, is looking for a new headquarters. The city is on a short list of relocation candidates.

The ACA's 21-member board will be put up in the Hilton Garden Inn in Celebrate Virginia. The Fredericksburg Regional Alliance is hosting a dinner and reception for them Saturday at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center at the University of Mary Washington.

The visitors might even be able to squeeze in some paddling on the Rappahannock River at some point over the weekend, though the water level is low.

"They're coming in on Friday and have a packed agenda on Saturday," Kevin Gullette, Fredericksburg's business development director, said.

The city and economic development groups have put together an $869,000 package of incentives to lure the canoe association here.

The Silver Cos., for example, is offering complementary office space for up to two years for ACA staff until a permanent site can be found. And the Fredericksburg-based developer has offered the group an acre site in its planned "ecotourism" area of Celebrate Virginia.

Developer Tommy Mitchell has offered space to lease at several locations downtown.

ACA has said it needs office space for its 15-member staff and warehouse space, which would house a planned paddling museum.

"I think we've put together a very aggressive package that solves their short- and long-term needs," Gullette said.

The return for the area would be thousands of visitors spending money on services, food and lodging.

The association is no stranger to Fredericksburg: It supported the removal of the Embrey Dam and hosts events at the annual Great Rappahannock Whitewater Canoe Race.

The ACA is looking for new quarters because it has been at a landlocked site in Springfield for years and wants to be on a river. Its lease there expires next April.

It is expected to announce its choice in the next few months. Several other states are said to be in the running, including New York and North Carolina.

Rusty Dennen: 540/374-5431
Email: rdennen@freelancestar.com

Date published: 7/19/2007