Theaters, events win big in $3.9M TDA funding cycle

Theaters and event spaces will get the biggest annual share of money available through hotel room taxes in Buncombe County.

The county Tourism Development Authority, which manages the 2016 Tourism Product Development Fund, had $3.9 million to spend on community projects and allocated all of it Wednesday.

Asheville Community Theatre, the U.S. Cellular Center and Diana Wortham Theatre will get a combined $3.2 million. The authority also voted to fund projects at the WNC Farmers Market and Montreat College.

The U.S. Cellular Center, which is owned by the city of Asheville, won the largest grant, $1.5 million. The money will go toward upgrades at its largest space, the ExploreAsheville.com Arena, which can hold about 7,600 people.

All three theaters requested money for sound and light upgrades. The entertainment industry is scrambling to keep up with changes in technology, including LED lighting, said Chris Corl, general manager of the U.S. Cellular Center.

"We're all trying to upgrade to what the bands want and the performers," he said. "This is really just designed to provide a greater incentive for producers to put shows on in Asheville by reducing their costs."

With the upgraded equipment, producers and promoters will save about $7,400 a show, he said, and lower ticket prices could result. Venues will also be able to compete with Charlotte for shows, he said. The U.S. Cellular Center wants to add 12 shows a year.

The center will also buy a curtain wall system that can shrink the arena, and it will convert a storage area into a meeting room for conferences. The project is projected to cost $3 million.

The TDA has funded $4.1 million in projects at the U.S. Cellular Center in past years, said John Luckett, a member of the fund committee and general manager at the Grand Bohemian Hotel.

Asheville Community Theatre will receive $1 million to renovate and expand. The upgrades include lighting, restrooms and new seats in the main theater, which hasn't been improved since it was built in 1972.

The changes are part of an ambitious expansion project Asheville Community Theatre announced last year. Plans include a new building to house a black box theater with about 150 seats.

Pack Place Performing Arts will receive $700,000 to fund two new performance spaces at Diana Wortham Theatre in addition to a courtyard area, a refurbished lobby and a new orchestra area, among other upgrades.

Montreat College in east Buncombe County won $350,000 for lighting, parking, seating and other upgrades at its new soccer, lacrosse, and track and field facility, Pulliam Stadium.

“The additional lighting will make it a great opportunity to host some of these invitational tournaments and get more room nights in the area," Luckett said.

The remaining $380,000 will go to the state-owned WNC Farmers Market, which requested $500,000. The retail and wholesale facility on Brevard Road will use the money to buy glass bay doors to give it an accessible look during the winter. Other planned upgrades include new gutters, sidewalks and bird nets.

The committee declined to fund Asheville Community Yoga, a riverwalk and greenway in Black Mountain, and an aquatic center proposed by Buncombe County, Buncombe County Schools and the Reuter YMCA in Biltmore Park.

The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design withdrew its application for a co-working space and event center called The Hive AVL.

Luckett said the number of hotel guests projects could draw was a major factor in determining who got the money.

The city of Asheville submitted an application, but it went through a separate process for major public works. It applied for $20 million in funding for a parking deck and other improvements in the South Slope neighborhood.

Luckett said the committee continues to consider that project, and it's being evaluated outside of the typical grant funding cycle since the money would be disbursed over several years.

The TDA selected a consultant, PGAV Destinations, to help the city create its application. Once PGAV and the city submit a "fully developed application," the committee will evaluate the project, Luckett said.

2016 was a banner year for the Tourism Product Development Fund, which exists to support nonprofit, community projects that increase hotel room nights in Buncombe County. The $3.9 million fund balance was one of the largest ever.

Luckett said the 2016 fund balance was high because the occupancy tax, which supports the fund, increased from 4 percent to 6 percent in November.

Aquatics center proposal fails to win grant

Proposed projects for 2016 funding

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority awarded $3.9 million Wednesday from the Tourism Product Development Fund, which supports nonprofit community projects that drive hotel visitation. Nine projects applied for the money, and five were funded. Each project reported the estimated annual room nights it would drive using a form developed by the Tourism Development Authority. The room nights that follow reflect visitation in projects' third years. A summary of awards follows.

• Asheville Community Theatre: $1 million awarded for renovations and expansions; fully funded request; estimated room nights, 6,148
• Asheville Community Yoga: Not funded; $650,000 for an expansion requested; estimated room nights, 36,945
• Buncombe County Aquatic Center: Not funded; $2 million requested for a new pool and renovations; estimated room nights, 8,808
• Black Mountain riverwalk and greenway: Not funded; $1 million requested; estimated room nights, 5,946
• Center for Craft, Creativity and Design: Application withdrawn; $450,000 requested for event space and conference center; estimated room nights, 11,919
• U.S. Cellular Center: $1.5 million awarded for arena upgrades, conference rooms; $1.5 million requested; estimated room nights, 19,315
• Montreat College: $350,000 awarded for lighting, seating and parking at Pulliam Arena in Black Mountain; fully funded request; estimated room nights, 2,879
• WNC Farmers Market: $380,000 awarded for new doors and facility upgrades; $500,000 requested; estimated room nights, 193,840
• Pack Place Performing Arts: $700,000 requested for new performance spaces in Diana Wortham Theatre and other upgrades; fully funded request; estimated room nights, 2,500