6/30/2008

LUCAS — The Lucas Arts & Humanities Council and the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition have been awarded a combined $72,151 in attraction development grants by the Kansas Department of Commerce, to promote tourism.

The Lucas Arts & Humanities Council was awarded $43,000 to design and construct Bowl Plaza, a rest room and rest stop facility scheduled to be built in Lucas.

The Flint Hills Tourism Coalition was awarded $29,151 to print its Flint Hills Heritage Brochure, a crucial piece of the Coalition’s promotion of the Flint Hills as a tourist destination.

The two recipients will match Commerce’s investment with an investment of $131,486. This is the second round of Attraction Development Grant awards issued in 2008. In January, the Department provided $85,413 in funding to the Boot Hill Museum in Ford County, the Collyer Community Alliance Association in Trego County, the International Chess Institute of the Midwest in McPherson County and the Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Reno County. Those projects were matched with local funds totaling $173,172.

The Attraction Development Grant Program assists the development of experiences that encourage travelers to visit Kansas. Grants may be used for various activities necessary to expand the tourism product base or develop new attractions. The grant funds up to 40 percent of a project, with the community or business funding the remaining 60 percent. Funding for the Attraction Development Grant Program is provided by the Economic Development Initiatives Fund, which is derived from state lottery proceeds.