|
|
||
Fredericksburg economic development director looking into offering incentives to help attract business to Expo Center Date published: 7/20/2007
BY BILL FREEHLING Just because it's built doesn't mean they'll come. The Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center off Fall Hill Avenue in Celebrate Virginia is in its second year and has attracted future events including the Marine Corps Historic Half-Marathon next May. But Fredericksburg's Economic Development Director Kevin Gullette says the expo center is "horribly underutilized." He wants the city to partner with the center's owner to help attract more events. Gullette is proposing earmarking $50,000 of city money into an incentive fund that could help attract conventions and other events to the expo center. The city has received the $50,000 through a tax on landowners in the Silver Cos. Celebrate Virginia development. It's meant to fund transportation initiatives, marketing and signs in and around the area, but it's not currently being used. Convention centers are typically publicly owned, Gullette said. Governments can offer incentives to attract conventions, such as waiving the fee for the space. The government makes up the money through taxes paid by convention-goers on hotel rooms, meals and shopping. But the Fredericksburg expo center is privately owned and operated by Ballantine Management Group. Because the city draws revenue from conventions, Gullette thinks Fredericksburg should partner with the expo center to attract larger meetings, conventions and shows. "It's a game that we need to get into to remain competitive," Gullette said. Gullette said the expo center has lost a few shows it might have gotten with incentive payments. He said the payments might be for a few thousand dollars--less than what the city would generate in revenue because of the event. Fredericksburg City Manager Phil Rodenberg brought up the idea to City Council at its July 10 meeting. No action was taken then, but the item will be on the council's Aug. 14 agenda. Gullette said the $50,000 would be a test case. If it's successful, the incentive fund could come from a percentage of the money taken in from taxes due to conventions and shows. The state-of-the-art expo center has 80,000 square feet of exhibit-hall space, more than 14,000 square feet of additional meeting space and a 10,000-square-foot ballroom. Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
