City of Roseburg postpones tourism grant program

City of Roseburg postpones tourism grant program

Of roseburg has temporarily stopped their tourism grant program because of coronavirus& a program that funds events that help attract more people to the city.

Kezi 9 news reporter evita garza shows us why one previous recipient is disappointed the program won be back this fall.

Like many businesses owners, 2020 has been a tough year for keri kovach- roid.

00:05 keri kovach- roid, business owner: it woulde been a year where wee traveling all over oregon with 3 and 4 day shows and each of them canceled?

She owns the growing miracle lavender garden in roseburg.

She says one of her only sources of income this year came from the lavender festival she held over the summer.

Public health officials gave them permission... but she says it only worked because of the city's tourism grant program.

That paid for the vast majority of our advertising this year, which really really saved the festival?

The program normally hands out 500 thousand dollars a year& done in two cycles in the fall and spring.

The money comes out of the city hotel/motel tax& which charges eight percent for visitors.

But communication specialist eric johnson says the revenue is down because less people are saying in town.

00:55 eric johnson, communications specialist, city of roseburg: it was way below what was estimated to be projected in tax collections.

So, we had to make a hard decision based off of that?

1:02 evita:?kovach- roid tells me the lavender festival was a success this year, all thanks to the tourism grant.

But now that the grant program been postponed... she says she worried her success could completely change next year?

The festival is what saved our income this year because all of our other shows were canceled?

Johnson tells me they plan to reevaluate the tax in the spring.

If enough money comes in, he says they plan to restart the program& just in time for the lavender festival in the summer.

"it's disappointing, but im gonna remain hopeful because that's all that gets us through."

In roseburg evita garza kezi 9 news.

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