December 7, 2011

Representatives from several McCracken County organizations have pled their cases for pieces of a $1.6 million funding pie, and some may actually end up with more money in the bank. 

The Fiscal Court hosted a workshop Tuesday to reevaluate how the county’s transient room tax dollars are divided. And from the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center Corporation to the River Discovery Center, many local organizations are hoping for dollars.

With a state statute in place requiring the money to be used for tourist activities and facilities, there is logically only so much that can be done, Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau chairman Glenn Denton said. 

The CVB receives the lion’s share of the funds, equaling about $800,000, and is currently running with a $175,000 surplus. State law requires the CVB to sign off on all transactions of the funds, and Denton said that the board is willing to help.

“I think we have a lot of worthy entities that need our assistance,” he said.

Denton said that the main priority right now is the convention center corporation, as it is most in need of funding. 

The CCC, which oversees the Julian M. Carroll Convention and Paducah Expo centers, has been teetering in debt since the Executive Inn closed in 2009. But after losing more than $230,000 in a reported embezzlement scheme that was unveiled in October, the centers are now running significantly in the red.

Thus far, the CVB board has agreed to contribute $30,000 to the convention center board for a management contract with the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center, which was also represented Tuesday, and agreed to help with marketing. 

Denton said that the CVB board is open to suggestions and requests from other organizations as well.

Harry Carloss, Carson Center board vice chairman, gave a rundown of the significant contributions the center has made to the area since it opened in 2004. He said an estimated $606,000 is invested back into the city and county each year. But with the flailing economy, the fine arts-targeted center has taken a significant funding hit and needs financial assistance.

The organizations represented at the workshop were the Carson Center, convention center corporation, Brooks Stadium, the River Discovery Center, the National Quilt Museum and Barkley Regional Airport.

Julie Harris, director of River Discovery Center, said she could use marketing help and a representative from McCracken County High School said that dialogue needs to be opened between all the local organizations to help create more local children’s programs.

Judge-Executive Van Newberry, who suggested the workshop, said he thought the discussion went well and encouraged the organizations to talk with the CVB board about financial assistance.  

As printed in The Paducah Sun, December 7, 2011.