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Officials award Fayette tourism grants worth $468,161

By Frances Borsodi Zajac fzajac@heraldstandard.Com 2 min read

Officials representing the Fayette County Tourism Grant Program recently awarded 49 grants totaling $468,161 to 28 not-for-profit organizations to help them operate and promote attractions that contribute to the local economy.

“Each of you need to be congratulated ,” noted Ronald Virag, executive director of Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, to representatives of these organizations that included historical societies, attractions and agencies that help maintain and market Fayette County culture, history and recreation.

Speaking at Penn State Fayette’s Corporate Training Center, Virag noted the importance of tourism, which is Pennsylvania’s second-largest industry behind agriculture. A fact sheet distributed by LHVB said the Annual Economic Impact of Pennsylvania Travel and Tourism Report (visitpa.com) revealed visitors spent more than $661 million in Fayette County in 2013.

Fayette County Tourism Grant Program, which is administered by LHVB, is funded by 50 percent of the 3 percent Fayette County Hotel Room Rental Tax, which became effective in July 2008.

Sixty-two applications were submitted for 2015, the seventh cycle of grants. Counting this year’s announcements, the program has awarded $2.9 million to non-profit, tourism-related organizations in four categories: marketing, capital improvement, operations and tourism education.

Fayette County Commissioners Al Ambrosini and Vince Zapatosky helped distribute the awards with members of the grant review committee, who included Chris Plummer of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Sean Sypolt of Private Industry Council , Uniontown businessman Donald Yowler, Greg Nuccetelli of Nestle and Virag.

“None of us could do half of what we do without these kinds of programs,” said Ted Kovall of Yough River Trail. “You’ve been very generous.”

John Blaney, board treasurer of the Fayette County Agricultural Improvement Association, noted grants are important to the Fayette County Fair because “We’re always trying to improve the fairgrounds to make it more attractive to visitors.”

Jo Lofstead, board secretary for the Fayette County Historical Society said the grant is used to maintain the Abel Colley Tavern museum.

“We couldn’t operate without it,” Lofstead said.

Muriel Nutall of Fayette Chamber of Commerce and The Redstone Foundation said the hotel tax grants provide the funding for marketing for the county.

“It’s important to bring people to Fayette County so our businesses can grow and prosper,” she said.

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