FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jasmine Champion
July 20, 2016 (901)729-2871
jchampion@maagov.org
Lauderdale County Awarded TNECD Tourism Enhancement Grant
Memphis, TN – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd announced on last week that 29 communities will receive over $999,000 in Tourism Enhancement Grants to assist communities with tourism infrastructure assets. Lauderdale County will receive $20,000 to develop a Tourism Comprehensive Plan. Lauderdale County is one of 29 communities out of 61 applicants to receive funding from the Tourism Enhancement Grant.
“Lauderdale County contains many significant cultural, historic, and natural sites unique to the state and region. We have partnered with Lauderdale County Chamber, Ripley Downtown Development Corporation, 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, a comprehensive plan will allow us to promote these attractions to a larger audience, create a better experience for our visitors, and assess the potential of other assets to intensify our economic impact. Lauderdale County generated $17.21 million in direct tourism expenditures and created 80 jobs in 2014. I would like to see us not only sustain tourism but support tourism as a mainstay of our local economy”, stated Lauderdale County Mayor Maurice Gaines.
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.
###