Terre Haute CVB supports bill aimed at sports tourism

Howard Greninger, The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
·2 min read

Jan. 19—A proposed Indiana Senate bill aimed at sports tourism could have some benefits for the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Senate Bill 245 would place $5 million in a statewide sports and tourism bid fund to provide money for the purpose of organizing and holding sports and tourism events in Indiana, said David Patterson, executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Indiana Destination Development Corp. would annually distribute funds to the Indiana Sports Corp. That corporation would then be required to distribute at least 25% of the money for events that are conducted outside of Marion County, where Indianapolis is located.

Board member Karum Nasser questioned if the bill, because of that limitation, would benefit Terre Haute and Vigo County.

Patterson said the available state grant funding last year statewide was only about $140,000, so Patterson said he supports the bill.

After the meeting, Patterson said any available grant funding "helps. I think this will help the state the most because there were years, like 20 years, that our budget was about the same as the state tourism budget. I don't think that you can throw money at something and it makes it better, but you also can't promote the state with a budget that is the same as what one city has," Patterson said.

The Terre Haute Convention and Visitor's Bureau cash balance as of Dec. 31 was $4,289,544, Patterson said.

"The state of Indiana has really seen what tourism can do for the state financially and it is great to fund it accordingly, so we hope this bill goes through," he said, referring to benefits from the state housing the NFL Super Bowl, and the NCAA Division 1 basketball and football tournaments.

The bill, authored by state Sens. Kyle Walker, Ryan Mishler and Travis Holdman, is slated to go Thursday before the Indiana State Appropriations Committee, the first step in an approval for the bill.

Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com. Follow on Twitter@TribStarHoward.