Groups fish for funds from replenished Accommodations Tax pond
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
The Darlington County Accommodations Tax Committee met March 21 to hear funding requests from local tourism-related festivals and events.
Alvin Heatley of the Butler Heritage Foundation
The committee’s work might present a smaller challenge this time around, as increased hotel stays have raised their funding pool from $25,000 last year to $65,000.
Accommodations Tax revenue is collected from county hotels, motels, inns and bed and breakfast establishments as a 2-percent tax on all overnight stays.
Darlington County allocates the first $25,000 in accommodations tax proceeds plus 5 percent of the balance to the General Fund, as authorized by state law, and the remainder funds promotion of events that draw tourists from over 50 miles away.
Fifteen organizations filed funding requests this year, and representatives outlined how their events and projects put “heads in beds” around the county.
Petitioner Alvin Heatley of the Butler Heritage Foundation said he regularly calls local hotels and tracks how many guests are in town for the annual Butler Heritage Week events. Others verify tourist presence by collecting mailing addresses for prize drawings, and some personally chat with guests and ask where they live.
Denise Holland of EdVenture in Hartsville.
Photos by Samantha Lyles
A-Tax committee members, including chairman Joey Saleeby and vice chairman Steve Tinney, emphasized the need to verify numbers of overnight stays, noting that applicants who have provided data will likely have a better shot at funding.
Requests this year are as follows:
American Legion Post #13 / Darlington Veterans Memorial: $3,500
Black Creek Arts Council / Yoga & Healing Arts Fest: $5,000
Butler Heritage Foundation: $10,000
Darlington Chamber of Commerce / Freedom Fest: $15,000
Darlington Downtown Revitalization / Build Up Darlington Website: $8,545
EdVenture, Inc. / EdVenture Hartsville Satellite: $5,000
Florence CVB / Racefest on the Square: $3,000
Hartsville Community Center Bldg. Comm / Center Theater: $33,000
Lamar Egg Scramble: $10,000
New Vision Community Dev / Annual Community Rice Fest: $15,000
Pilot Club / Sweet Potato Festival: $4,000
SC Junior Golf Foundation / Players Championship: $8,500
Society Hill Catfish Festival: $3,000
Southeastern Bluegrass Assoc.: $10,000
YMCA of Upper Pee Dee / Hartsville YMCA: $6,000
The Accommodations Tax Committee will meet again on Thursday, March 28 at 6 p.m. to make their recommendations, which will then be passed along to Darlington County Council for review and final approval.
The A-Tax meeting will take place at the Courthouse Annex located at 1625 Harry Byrd Hwy in Darlington.
