Kansas Tourism and the Patterson Family Foundation are providing nearly $2 million to eight tourism projects.
Tourism Attraction Sub-grants for Kansas (TASK) were presented by Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland and Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe on Thursday.
The tourism industry is the 9th largest employer in the state, generating $11.8 billion in economic output annually and saving the average Kansan $600 in yearly taxes.
The TASK program is administered by Kansas Tourism and provides funding for public and non-profit groups to develop new tourism attractions or to enhance existing ones. The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation state grants provided $1.5 million in funding, with an additional $462,000 provided by the Patterson Family Foundation for awardees in rural counties.
The TASK recipients below:
- City of Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau, Barton County, $337,500
- Flint Hills Discovery Center, Riley County, $200,000
- Grassroots Art Center, Russell County, $172,226
- Horse Thief Reservoir Benefit District, Hodgeman County, $299,918
- Johnson County Park & Recreation District, Johnson County, $201,168
- Miners Hall Museum Foundation, Crawford County, $337,500
- Strataca: Kansas Underground Salt Museum, Reno County, $174,750
- The Nature Conservancy, Logan County, $238,950
Additional details and project descriptions can be found at here.
