Buncombe TDA gets 16 requests for tourism project funding: Cat museum, motorcycle welcome center, more

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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cat_museum_2015The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority has received requests from 16 applicants for funding from its tourism project development fund. The TDA collects hotel room tax in Buncombe County and grants a chunk of that cash to projects aimed at putting more “heads in beds” in local hotels.

So what projects are seeking funding?

How about an Asheville house cat museum or a new “learning center” at Brother Wolf Animal Sanctuary in Leicester? Or a motorcycle welcome center? How about improved conference space at the Center for Craft Creativity and Design or The Collider in downtown? All these projects and more have submitted official applications to the Buncombe TDA, which will study the projects and make a decision about which to fund later this year. Last year, the TDA gave out nearly $5 million to such projects.

Here’s the full list:

ABSCI: The Collider: $350,000

ABYSA: JBL Soccer complex improvements: $1.1 million

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity: Volunteer Tourism Builds Affordable Housing: $75,000

Asheville Masonic Temple: renovation: $500,000

Blue Ridge Motorcyling Magazine: motorcycle welcome center: $500,000

Brother Wolf Learning Center: $500,000

Catman2 Inc: The American Museum of the House Cat: $350,000

Center for Craft, Creativity and Design: conference facility: $940,000

City of Asheville: River to Ridge riverfront destination development project $2.27 million

Colburn Earth Science Museum: Moving Science Education Into The Spotlight: $400,000

Friends of the WNC Nature Center: Front entrance: $313,000

Hickory Nut Gap Farm: Asheville’s Farm to Table Destination: Hickory Nut Gap Farm: $120,000

Looking Glass Creamery: Urban Creamery Project: $331,846

Riverglass: Riverglass Public Glass Studio & School: $200,000 grant and $100,000 loan

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy: Community Food and Farm Visitor Hub: $30,000

YMCA of WNC: YMCA Multipurpose Community Fields: $370,000

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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9 Comments

  1. Barry Summers June 10, 2015

    Half a million for the Masons? Really?

    Reply
    1. hauntedheadnc June 10, 2015

      The building is a hundred years old. Old buildings don’t need as much love as newer ones because they’re made of better materials and feature better craftsmanship, but when they need love, they need a lot of it.

      Reply
  2. Nnya June 10, 2015

    Why not combine a couple to save money?

    A welcome center for motorcycles AND cats?

    Reply
  3. Selene June 10, 2015

    All these are good ideas, and some are great ideas – except the cat museum. There’s really no need for it.

    Reply
  4. Jen June 9, 2015

    My top picks:

    Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity

    Friends of the WNC Nature Center

    YMCA Multipurpose Community Fields

    Reply
    1. Jen June 9, 2015

      OR- they could pay hotel employees what they deserve.

      Reply
  5. RobotDanceMonkey1975 June 9, 2015

    Cool. I would like to learn more about cats and their history.

    Reply
    1. cwaster June 10, 2015

      Me too!

      Reply
    2. Big Al June 13, 2015

      We already have a museum about women, why do we need one about pussy?

      Reply

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