With Gov. Bruce Rauner approving the release of about $1.9 billion in already-collected tax dollars yesterday, a tourism grant is inbound for the Galesburg Tourism Council.
During today’s tourism council meeting, Tourism and Marketing Director Bill Morris announced the estimated grant total.
“Last year we got a little over $62,000,” Morris said. “I don’t know how much its going to be this year, but everybody that knows anything tells me that it’ll be roughly about $50,000 this year. So we’re just happy to see any amount, but that’s a nice amount.”
Morris said the grant will go toward promoting Galesburg tourism in out-of-town areas. He adds that the department is comfortable working with amounts of $50,000 or greater.
After the meeting, Morris said past grant dollars have gone to advertising in local and weekly papers across the state, including suburban Chicago.
“We advertise in the Quad Cities and Peoria and then we do some cable television, as usual, radio,” he said. “We have a couple billboards that we have down in Springfield and one near Missouri. We wanted to have one in the Chicago area, its just, it would be our entire budget.”
Also discussed today was the resignation of Ryan Cochran from the Tourism Council. His spot on the Galesburg Lodging & Restaurant Association will be filled by Holiday Inn General Manager Whitney Hendricks.
