County Lodging Panel Funds October Events

Four events in the Prowers County community received either partial or full funding from the Prowers County Lodging Tax Panel during their monthly meeting, Tuesday, September 17.  The funds are used for marketing and advertising future events in hope of drawing visitors to the county from outlying areas. 

Marge Creech represented the Holly Bluegrass Festival committee, and had her request of $500 approved to advertise the second annual, Rhythm and Ribs event, scheduled for October 19 at the Holly Fairgrounds.  This has replaced the Grand Old Opry and proceeds are used to defray expenses associated with the free bluegrass concert held in Holly each summer.  She said a band has been hired for the event which will feature a baby back rib dinner costing $15 for a half rack of ribs. 

Kelly Emick, history professor at Lamar Community College, detailed the biannual Frontier History Encampment set for October 4 and 5 at the LCC campus.  Emick said 1,000 visitors viewed the 2011 display which chronicles about a century of life on the High Plains, using re-enactors to represent various time segments between 1800 and 1890.  She said the growth in visitors since the original Encampment in 2005 has been attributed to schools setting Fridays as a field day visit.  Emick said schools from as far away as Burlington will make the trip to Lamar this year.  She was granted $1,700 for advertising in local and regional publications. 

Gerry Jenkins, of Voces Unidas, received $250 to help advertise the organization’s annual banquet and meeting which is scheduled for October 12 this year.  The annual meeting is held at the Lamar Eagles Lodge which combines a buffet dinner, awards ceremony and featured speaker.  Proceeds from annual Voces Unidas events help fund their student scholarships program. 

The request from artist Jeremy Cooper, representing the Southeast Colorado Arts Council, was tabled pending clarification on what the Panel can fund.  The Council is requesting $998 to help defray the costs of constructing the mural which has been erected at Bicentennial Park.  The Panel by-laws stipulate that Panel funds should be used to pay for marketing and advertising events to attract visitors to Prowers County, hopefully for an overnight stay.  Capital purchases may be made when the items are to be used at the Lamar Welcome Center for tourism purposes.  The mural was initiated through a $1,000 grant from Creative Colorado, to develop artwork in time for the Pedal the Plains event being held in southeast Colorado September 20-22.  Donations are being sought by the Council to pay the balance of materials used in the mural. 

The Panel received $26,945 from the State of Colorado in August.  Periodic payments are made to the county and Panel based on a 2% lodging tax assessed for each motel room rented in Prowers County through the year.  The YTD balance for the Panel is $50,534.56.  Organizations or individuals in Prowers County are urged to develop tourist based events or attractions which will bring visitors to the county, hopefully for one or several overnight stays.  Additional information on event funding is available at the PCDI offices at 719-336-2384.

By Russ Baldwin