LoudounExtra.com

In a Fiscal Bind, Loudoun Longs for Tourism Dollars

By Christopher Twarowski

Thursday, December 4, 2008

CORRECTION: The original version of this story incorrectly reported the amount of money approved by the Board of Supervisors to be used for Civil War commemoration efforts in the county. The Board approved $156,000, which help the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership match a $236,000 grant from Preserve America.

Bracing for a budget gap and a worsening economy, Loudoun County is stepping up efforts to remake itself as a tourist destination in the hopes of bringing in more revenue.

The county Board of Supervisors spent the last full meeting of the year approving more than $100,000 in an effort to make the county the go-to stop during the Civil War's 150th anniversary. They considered proposals that could one day pave the way for a minor league baseball stadium and a Redskins Hall of Fame to be built in Loudoun, though neither was approved. And they even considered ways the county could try to cash in on next month's inauguration excitement.

"We want to be D.C.'s wine country. We want to be the Hamptons," said Cheryl Kilday, president and chief executive of the nonprofit Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association, in an interview. The group serves as Loudoun's travel, tourism and promotional arm. "We want to be the go-to place for the metropolitan area, and we also want to attract other people from around the globe."

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward

Supervisor Lori L. Waters, shown in a 2007 photo, supported having Loudoun contribute to a proposed Red Skins Hall of Fame. The proposal was rejected.

The debate was a fresh acknowledgment that, after years of vacuuming up an ever-expanding pool of property tax revenue, it is time to pursue other ways to fund the government.

A decades-long housing boom that made Loudoun one of the nation's fastest-growing bedroom communities is over. The county is facing a projected budget gap next year of about $200 million. Three-quarters of its revenue comes from property taxes, which have fallen with the slumping housing market. Another wave of foreclosures is expected.

Supervisors have been trying to come up with other sources of funding to reduce the county's dependence on real estate revenue and expand its commercial tax base — with some creative results. They voted to put a meals tax on the Nov. 4 ballot. They've considered a tax on airplanes. Now, they're focusing on tourism.

Yesterday, supervisors considered, but ultimately rejected, a proposal to spend $100,000 of taxpayer funds for a marketing partnership with the Washington Redskins. The concept involved declaring Loudoun the "Corporate Home of the Washington Redskins." The county's logo would have appeared on the Redskins' Web site. Loudoun could have used the Redskins' name on its literature and Web site. County tourism officials would have worked alongside Redskins executives to create destination packages, including travel arrangements and other perks for fans visiting the team's training camp in Ashburn.

Gene Thorp, The Washington Post

Loudoun is trying to become a tourist destination by promoting its Civil War monuments and other attractions.

Supervisors also balked at the idea of spending $150,000 for a second phase of the deal that would have created a Redskins Hall of Fame.

"We're trying to generate tourism and additional travel to the county," said Supervisor Lori L. Waters (R-Broad Run), who voted in favor of the proposal.

The board discussed the motion for about an hour. Some didn't think the deal a proper use of taxpayer funds. Others worried the arrangement was too open-ended.

"I have a problem with this whole mind-set and approach of pursuing brand names, trying to market Loudoun County like the Madison Avenue firms do of their products," said Supervisor James Burton (I-Blue Ridge). "I don't think we need to do that. I think this county markets itself."

The proposal was defeated by a 5 to 4 vote. Other ideas proved more popular.

Supervisor Andrea McGimsey (D-Potomac) won approval, on a 5 to 4 vote, for spending $156,000 from tourism-related taxes to target some of the millions of visitors expected to converge on the region during the Civil War's sesquicentennial, which begins in 2011. The money will help the nonprofit Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership match a $236,000 grant it recently received from Preserve America, a White House historical preservation initiative, to train 4,000 people in hospitality services by the end of 2011 and an estimated 10,000 by 2015.

The Journey includes Gettysburg, Monticello, Harpers Ferry, Antietam, Manassas and sites in Loudoun. The hope is to inform visitors about the county's role in the conflict — and stimulate local businesses, she said.

"This is a huge economic opportunity," McGimsey said. "We're going to be able to leverage the marketing power of these places."

During the discussion, the group's president, Cate Magennis Wyatt, told supervisors of a plan to have President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural procession wind through Loudoun from Gettysburg and finish at the Lincoln Memorial. A group of local officials have sent a letter to Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), who was national co-chairman of Obama's campaign, asking him to invite the president-elect.

Bill Clinton did something similar for his first inauguration. Clinton began his journey at Monticello, stopped in Culpeper and wound his way into Washington.

"There's precedent," Wyatt said.

Wyatt envisioned various inaugural celebrations along the Obama route, including oral histories, marching bands and simulcasts of the swearing-in ceremony.

In January, supervisors will consider another sports-themed proposal, which would clear the way for a minor league ballpark. The board has been asked to approve a change in the land-use designation of 397 acres at routes 28 and 7 in the Broad Run District to allow the stadium's construction.

No specific team has been named as the occupant, but the property owners are seeking a new franchise with the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. The league has eight teams in northeastern cities, and the teams are not affiliated with any major league or minor league club.

Copyright 2009 The Washington Post Company