January 25, 2012

SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "Report questions Colorado tourism incentives"

It's a shame this snafu had to come up and off-color the good works of the Regional Tourism Act.

One also has to wonder why Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Silt, Rifle and Carbondale are not on board with seeking out funding for tourism related infrastructure.

How long will it take before we stop relying on sole source lodging taxes in these communities to fund our need for tourism and related economic development?  Start going after programs like this, more GoCo funds and other grants that just might be out there if we were to devote a dedicated tourism/economic staffer to look.

Avatars in commentary are so vocal over this issue and still our leaders spin wheels in 4lo.  Here's another year of possible funding simply passing us by.  

"...DENVER--Gaylord Entertainment Co. and the five other applicants for state tourism incentives overestimated the number of new visitors their projects would bring to Colorado and, as a result, the amount of tax-increment financing they're eligible for, according to reports by the state's independent analyst.

The reports were prepared for the Colorado Economic Development Commission, which will decide in April which projects receive state tourism incentives. The state hasn't released the reports, but the municipalities applying for incentives provided copies to The Denver Post on Monday.

Several applicants said the consultant — Economic Planning & Systems Inc. — misinterpreted the Regional Tourism Act. Enacted in 2009, the RTA allows a portion of state sales taxes generated by a project that advances tourism to be used to help finance its infrastructure...."

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