Dubois County Tourism Commission approached about lease of Huntingburg Event Center

[quote style=”boxed” float=”right”]In 2010 Dubois County Tourism generated approximately $65 million in economic impact to Dubois County. [/quote] The newly formed Huntingburg Event And Community Center (HECC) non-profit recently approached met with the Dubois County Tourism Commission about a potential lease agreement with Dubois County Tourism. The effort was spearheaded by HECC Treasurer Mitch Clark – Clark is also the treasurer for the Dubois County Tourism Commission – and is being sought to increase the viability of the Event Center.

The two groups met for preliminary discussion of the potential lease recently. Clark explained to the group that the main reason they are in seeking a lease is to accelerate the long term goals of the Event Center and offer the potential to increase tourism and business tourism for Dubois County.

The HECC sees the main benefit of the potential lease as closer ties with Dubois County Tourism, Dubois County Area Development Corporation, and Chamber of Commerce leading to better opportunities for developing the infrastructure like restaurants and hotels around the property. This would create more usage potential for the center.

The lease could also hopefully lead to increased marketing through Dubois County Tourism, and the financial strength of Dubois County Tourism would insure the facility remains as a first-class state of the art facility.

According to a cash flow sheet provided at the meeting the Event Center had a positive cash flow and recently the mortgage on the facility has been paid through a charitable contribution from Phyllis Menke. With the relief from the mortgage the Event Center’s profitability will increase. The board also reported the Event Center is reserved nearly every weekend this year and much of 2013, but the board would like to increase weekday use.

Tourism board member Jackie Bolton of the Jasper Inn and Convention Center stated she could propose the same scenario for the Jasper Inn as it also has a convention center but has rooms attached. She pointed out that the Dubois County tourism is funded from hotel occupancy taxes and the Jasper Inn also have needs for improvements.

Clark expressed that he felt the long term goals would be to strengthen all of Dubois County but acknowledged that a development of a hotel near the Event Center would create competition for Jasper Inn.

Tourism Director Kevin Manley did state he was concerned about potential for a conflict of interest and stated tourism has aligned themselves to help with marketing and developing events throughout the county by partnering with organizations.

In 2010 Dubois County Tourism generated approximately $65 million in economic impact to Dubois County. Manley also stated that studies show if they are successful in bringing a person into Dubois County one time they will come back four times over the next two years. To continue the trend in economic impact the tourism office concentrates on getting those people into the county for the first time.

Manley stated that to continue getting people into the county they would offer help in marketing efforts for the Event Center.

The Dubois County Tourism Commission decided the discussion could continue after the members were able to examine the proposal.

“This was a mutual interest situation initiated by Mitch (Clark), we decided to meet and see if there was any interest,” said HECC Board President Joe Mundy. “With the mortgage being paid off we are really ready to move forward with this organization. This is really preliminary and we have a long way to go before anything is decided.”