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Jason Sandford

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

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Here’s this year’s list of projects seeking funding from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s 2016 Tourism Product Development Fund. A new Buncombe County aquatic center, renovations and an expansion of Asheville Community Theatre and a Black Mountain greenway are among the big projects seeking funding.

The biggest project is a request from the City of Asheville for $20 million to be paid over seven years for the development of the South Slope. The Mountain Xpress has a detailed explanation of the funding request here, one that would include everything from pedestrian and bicycle pathways to a new South Slope parking deck.

The TPDF is funded by one-and-a-half percent occupancy tax on paid lodging in the county. (Visitors who stay in paid lodging in Buncombe County pay a 6 percent occupancy tax in addition to the 7 percent sales tax for a total tax of 13 percent on paid accommodations in Buncombe County, according to the TDA. Each year, Buncombe County sees 3.3 million overnight guests.) The projects that get funded must show that they “can generate substantial new and incremental room nights, and, therefore, increase the economic impact on the community,” according to the TDA. Since the fund’s inception in 2001, $23 million has been awarded to 27 community projects.

(Here’s the list of the six project that were awarded Tourism Product Development Fund cash last year, in the amount of $3.9 million. Greenways, soccer fields and the WNC Nature Center were among the big winners.)

Here’s the list by organization/project/amount requested:

Asheville Area Arts Council
The Refinery Creator Space
$50,000

AMOS (Colburn Earth Science Museum)
Science in the Spotlight
$150,000

Asheville Community Theatre
Theatre Expansion & Renovation Project
$1,000,000

Asheville Taxi, LLC
Asheville Taxi Co.
$200,000

Buncombe County Schools
Buncombe County Aquatic Center
$2,000,000

Buncombe County Recreation Services
Lake Julian Park Interactive Children’s Playground
$150,000

Buncombe County Recreation Services
Hominy Creek Greenway/Buncombe County Sports Park Pedestrian Bridge
$150,000

Black Mountain (Town of)
Black Mountain Riverwalk Greenway Phase II
$1,000,000

Center for Craft, Creativity & Design, Inc.
The Hive AVL Conference & Event Venue
$450,000

Image link for The Hive AVL

City of Asheville/U.S. Cellular Center
ExploreAsheville.com Theatre Creation and Meeting Room Conversion
$1,509,400

Montreat College
Pulliam Stadium-Phase II
$350,000

NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
WNC Farmers Market – Master Plan Implementation/ Retail Area
$500,000

Pack Place Performing Arts
The Wortham Center
$700,000

TOTAL
$8,209,400

Major Works Request:

City of Asheville
South Slope Enhancements – Development of an Innovation District
$20,000,000 over 7 years

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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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42 Comments

  1. Tim Peck June 27, 2016

    Asheville City Council Districts Map
    scribd.com/doc/316876817/Asheville-Districts-Map

    Asheville City Council District Elections Timeline
    scribd.com/doc/316878763/Asheville-District-Elections-Timeline

    Reply
    1. chris June 27, 2016

      Nice gerrymander you have there, Mr Smug.

      Keep on shillin’!

      Reply
      1. Tim Peck June 27, 2016

        Senate Bill 897 passed easily in the Senate. Should go before the House at 7:30p.

        Reply
        1. chris June 27, 2016

          Congrats on your team of slimy pricks overriding the will of the people.

          I love that you’re so proud of their gerrymander. You’re such a sycophant, it’s kinda cute. You’re like a little puppy.

          Reply
          1. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            The House did not add District Elections to their calendar last night. Look for it today. It should sail through and local bills do not need the governor’s signature to become law.

            Reply
        2. Barry Summers June 27, 2016

          Senate Bill 897 passed easily in the Senate. Should go before the House at 7:30p.

          Wrong again. Maybe you should clean the smug out of your eyes.

          Reply
          1. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            The General Assembly will be in session another week after this. Plenty of time, my friend, plenty of time. LOL. I’ll be listening in today.

            Reply
          2. Barry Summers June 28, 2016

            You do that, Hate Boy.

            Reply
          3. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            SB897 is currently in House Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. Lewis. Lewis will probably move the bill out of Rules and onto the floor for a vote ASAP. After a House vote, SB897 becomes law. Rules meets right after the today’s House session.

            See you later, big boy.

            Reply
          4. chris June 28, 2016

            Congrats on your masters’ gerrymander. Go get your biscuit!

            Reply
          5. Barry Summers June 28, 2016

            “Go get your biscuit!”

            Trolls prefer mutton.

            Reply
          6. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            Now it looks like the legislature will push to get out by Saturday. Anything could happen.

            Keep watching, Barry. You too, Chris. Who’s up for a beer?

            Reply
          7. chris June 28, 2016

            Thought you preferred Scotch.

            Reply
          8. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            The House Rules Committee will take up SB897 today, now. Then it’s on to the House Floor.
            twitter.com/wcqs/status/747895296273813504

            Reply
          9. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            House rules committee adjourns without taking action on #asheville district bill. Expected to meet tomorrow, but not at original 8:30 time
            twitter.com/wcqs/status/747913373833138176

            Reply
          10. Barry Summers June 28, 2016

            Holy Faceplant, Hate Boy – wrong again.

            “House rules committee adjourns without taking action on #asheville district bill.”

            Reply
          11. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            Will I be wrong tomorrow, Barry?

            Reply
          12. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            Oh, my. Wrong, wrong, wrong, Barry. Look:

            WCQS Public Radio @wcqs * 5:28 PM – 28 Jun 2016
            House rules committee audio streaming at mobile.ncleg.net/New/Audio/Stre… Committee 2 hear #Asheville districts bill #avlnews #wncnews #wnc #avlgov
            twitter.com/wcqs/status/747904608614252545

            Was WCQS wrong or did the committee change plans. Hmmm? Barry? You pathetic bumpkin.

            Reply
          13. Tim Peck June 29, 2016

            Look, Barry! The Rules Committee meeting is canceled. They was wrong.

            Today, Wednesday, June 29, 2016
            8:30 AM Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the — CANCELLED (House)

            Reply
          14. chris June 29, 2016

            You (YOU?) calling someone a bumpkin? You calling someone pathetic? Man, you need to engage in some serious self-reflection. Have another Scotch and ruminate, Mr. Smug.

            Reply
          15. Tim Peck June 29, 2016

            SB897:
            06/29/2016
            Removed from Rules
            Re-ref Com On Elections

            Reply
          16. Tim Peck June 29, 2016

            What a bunch of horrible oafs.

            Reply
          17. Barry Summers June 29, 2016

            That’s a terrible thing to say about the House Rules Committee.

            Reply
          18. Barry Summers June 29, 2016

            Besides, “bumpkin” is an insult for someone from the countryside. That makes you both an Atlanta, big-city elitist, and wrong again. I grew up in a suburb of a large midwestern city. Living 10 feet outside Asheville is as close to “countryside” as I’ve ever gotten.

            I wonder if the Elections Committee will even let Rep. Susan Fisher speak when they meet tomorrow at 8:30. Doubtful…

            Reply
          19. Tim Peck June 29, 2016

            House Elections Committee meets Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 8:30a in 544 LOB to discuss SB897: Asheville City Council Districts. Sponsor: Senator Apodaca.

            Or maybe I’m wrong.

            Reply
          20. Tim Peck June 29, 2016

            “will even let Rep. Susan Fisher speak”

            I hope so. Every time Fisher opens her pie hole SB897 gains support.

            Reply
          21. Tim Peck June 29, 2016

            You progressives can listen to the live audio stream beginning at 8:30 am at

            204.84.203.89/finance

            Reply
          22. Barry Summers June 29, 2016

            Thanks, Atlanta big-city elitist.

            Reply
          23. chris June 29, 2016

            I think that’s Ft. Worth. By way of Atlanta.

            Reply
          24. Tim Peck June 30, 2016

            Oh no.

            Bill passes 17 to 9 #avlnews #Asheville
            twitter.com/wcqs/status/748506538415898624

            Reply
          25. Tim Peck June 30, 2016

            What?!

            NC House Elections Cmte passes #Asheville council districts bill on 17-9 vote. Goes next to House floor. #avlnews #avlgov #ncpol #ncga
            witter.com/MarkBarrettACT/status/748506955333910529

            Reply
          26. chris June 30, 2016

            Still here, hijacking threads for cash, you shill?

            Congrats on your gerrymander, you lugubrious sh*tpile. You must have a permanent boner just thinking about how your cadre of doofuses is overriding the will of the people.

            BTW, a letter writer to the MX cleanly and easily shoots down this whole idea that redistricting “increases democracy” as you’re so fond of saying.

            But have another Scotch, Mr. Smug. It’s not even noon yet.

            Reply
          27. Tim Peck June 30, 2016

            Oops.

            Status: SB897: 06/30/2016, House, Calendared Pursuant Rule 36(b)
            ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2015&BillID=s897&submitButton=Go

            Reply
          28. Tim Peck July 1, 2016

            HO– — USE CALENDAR
            176th Legislative Day
            Friday, July 1, 2016
            House Convenes at 11:00 A.M.
            SB 897 Committee Substitute – Apodaca
            ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS. (Elections) (2nd Edition)

            Reply
    2. Barry Summers June 27, 2016

      “I have been asked to allow a referendum on this plan. I will not. And there’s a simple reason why. If Asheville were allowed a referendum, I have no doubt that the current Council would work to defeat it.” Sen. Apodaca, on the Senate floor.

      Apodaca is openly saying that he doesn’t want the voters to decide this, because he’s afraid they won’t decide it the way he wants. These people really hate democracy.

      Reply
      1. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

        Oh, Mr. Summers Eve. It is the progressive elite that do not want to introduce a measure of democracy in Asheville elections. They could have, you know. But that’s what we’ll get with District Elections. Each district will be guaranteed a seat in city leadership. That’s a good thing. Thanks, Mr. Raleigh.

        Reply
        1. chris June 28, 2016

          Except, of course they’re gerrymandering the hell out of the city to kick a couple of existing council members out of their seats, subverting the will of the voters. Democracy? Bullsh*t. Pathetic, vindictive power grab by those who can’t get elected on their merits. People like you, Tim.

          Reply
          1. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            “to kick a couple of existing council members out of their seats”

            No council member is kicked out of their seat.

            Reply
          2. chris June 28, 2016

            They’re gerrymandered out. You know that very well, you miserable shill.

            Reply
        2. Godslayer June 28, 2016

          Asheville already has democracy in its elections. It’s just that the electorate has repeatedly rejected the out-of-step, out-of-touch, troglodyte, rich-man’s-puppets for candidates that Republicans always put forward. Peckerwood knows this, but can’t help but lie about it because lying is typical of his ilk, and is their stock in trade.

          Reply
          1. Tim Peck June 28, 2016

            “Asheville already has democracy in its elections.”

            Now it will have more.

            Reply
  2. jtroop June 27, 2016

    $20 million seems like a lot, even including a parking deck…. wow! It would be interesting to see how those plans stack up against completed infrastructure projects in the RAD, WVL and downtown.

    Reply

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