$110,000 to promote Arlington’s tourism and economy
Published 10:52 pm Tuesday, April 15, 2008
ARLINGTON — With its lodging-tax revenue, the city recently handed out more than $110,000 to community organizations that plan to use the money to promote tourism and economic development in Arlington.
In a small city, $110,000 goes a long way for promotion, said Kristin Banfield, assistant city administrator.
“The organizations that received this money do amazing things,” Banfield said. “Their efforts to put Arlington on the map are greatly appreciated.”
The city began collecting a 2 percent hotel-motel tax in 2005.
In 2006 it made promotional awards totaling $29,000, and last year it gave away $61,350 in allocations for tourism-related activities.
The largest award this year will go to promoting the new Linda M. Byrnes Performing Arts Center, near Arlington High School. The board of directors of the center will use $30,000 to buy advertising and brochures.
The Downtown Arlington Business Association plans to use $20,000 for the promotion of downtown events through the use of a Web site, a brochure and a kiosk.
The 40th annual Arlington Fly-In, considered one of the country’s top recreational aviation events, is set for July 9-13 at the municipal airport. Organizers plan to use $20,000 of the city’s lodging-tax revenue for promotional advertising.
The Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce was awarded $9,600 to run its visitor information center near the freeway and about $7,700 for a telephone directory.
The Snohomish County Fall Festival, with its theme of Farming: Yesterday and Today, received nearly $14,000 to be used for advertising.
The Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Association, the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society and the Arlington Arts Council also were awarded money for projects that include the printing of historical postcards, a carved welcome map and historical signs for the Centennial Trail.
Reporter Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.
