Gov. Heineman Announces $500,000 in 2008-09 Tourism Advantage Grants

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced $500,000 in grants designed to help promote tourism in communities across the state.  A total of 33 grants will be distributed as part of the Tourism Advantage Matching Grant Program.

“These grants give an added boost to the promotion of travel and tourism, an industry that is creating and sustaining jobs throughout Nebraska,” Gov. Heineman said.  “These are matching grants for varied efforts to spread the word on places to visit and things to do across our state.”

This year’s awarded grants range in size from $2,000 to $50,000.  Grants are matched dollar for dollar by local groups and help cover the cost of production and placement of mass media advertising, Web site development, the production and distribution of maps and brochures, direct mail advertising, and participation in travel and trade shows.

This is the fourth year of the program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s Travel and Tourism Division.  The grants totaled $350,000 in 2005, $500,000 in 2006 and nearly $500,000 in 2007. 

• Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce/Gage County Tourism: $8,677 for promotion calendar and events promotion with TV and newspaper ads and direct mail
• Burwell Area/Garfield County Convention and Visitors Bureau: $2,330 for brochure printing and direct mail
• Central Nebraska Tourism Partnership: $42,725 for crane migration/wildlife tourism marketing with Web site development, newspaper ads and brochure
• Central Plains Foundation/GROW Nebraska: $6,880 for brochures, radio promotion and Internet ads
• Cheyenne County Visitors Committee: $13,550 for TV ads, maps and billboards
• Fillmore County Development Corporation: $2,500 for new Web site
• Garden County Tourism: $9,040 for brochures, direct mail, billboards, magazine ads and Web site development
• Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce: $24,700 for market planning and research and radio ads
• Hall County Convention and Visitors Bureau: $23,076 for sports travel marketing with magazine ads and trade shows
• Ho-Chunk Community Development Corporation: $6,250 for Winnebago attractions promotion with Web site ads and DVD video
• K & T Development Corporation: $7,500 for North Omaha Web site
• Kearney Visitors Bureau: $49,463 for magazine ads, internet ads, direct mail and newspaper ads
• Lexington Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau: $4,115 for events promotion with magazine, newspaper and radio ads; posters; and banners
• Loup Basin Resource Conservation and Development Council: $4,098 for Loup River Scenic Byway marketing with Web site design, rack card printing and print ads
• Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau: $13,000 for marketing comedy-related events with radio and newspaper ads
• Minden Chamber of Commerce: $2,000 for tourism brochure and marketing events with Web site, newspaper and radio ads
• Nebraska Association of Bed and Breakfast: $3,350 for lodging directory
• Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce: $10,000 for green tourism promotion with TV ads and internet ads
• Nebraska Outfitters and Guides Association: $10,000 for production of TV promotion film
• Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Association: $12,000 for updating Web site, developing map and brochure, and direct mail
• North Omaha Arts and Humanities Complex: $30,000 for promoting North Omaha’s jazz-related tourism with DVD, CD, brochures, posters and Web site
• North Platte/Lincoln County Convention and Visitors Bureau: $45,012 for internet ads, DVD reproduction, magazine ads and mobile information trailer
• Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation and Development Council: $2,500 for Outlaw Trail Byway brochure and Web site design
• Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau: $44,893 for group tour guide, direct mail, Web site enhancement and video
• Omaha Performing Arts Society: $46,876 for Web site development
• City of Papillion: $3,500 for brochure, poster and newspaper ads
• Plainview Chamber of Commerce: $2,006 for magazine and newspaper ads and brochure
• Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway Organization: $5,564 for Web site upgrade, direct mail, newsletter mailing and travel shows
• Scotts Bluff County Tourism: $50,000 for print ads, meeting planner guide, TV ads, on-line survey research and Web site design
• South Platte United Chambers of Commerce: $6,100 for nature tourism marketing with posters, magazine ads, newsletter e-mail, brochure printing and distribution and direct mail
• St. Paul Development Corporation: $2,400 for Web site development
• Sutton Area Chamber of Commerce: $3,441 for rack card printing and placement
• Village of Big Springs: $2,456 for events marketing with magazine and radio ads and rack cards