Adams County’s Economic Development Corporation said Tuesday it has moved into a new downtown office and has started a modest, grant-funded tourism effort aimed at turning visitors into day-long customers for local businesses.

Colton Bickel, the EDC director, said the EDC transitioned into a new office on Third Street in downtown Decatur and will open its conference rooms to businesses and community groups. The office was primarily paid for with grant dollars and a small EDC reserve; the property remains city-owned while the grant is completed, Bickel said.

The EDC also hired a part-time tourism director, Kaylee, to build the county’s "visitor economy" under a new brand the agency calls Experience Adams County. Bickel said the role will focus on increasing everyday visitors who shop and eat locally, and on building partnerships with local festivals and attractions such as Pine Lake and the produce auction barn.

Funding and policy: Commissioners discussed innkeeper (hotel) taxes as a potential future funding source for tourism promotion. County staff said state statute generally allows a county innkeepers tax of 4 percent and that counties may increase to 6 percent under certain conditions; an ordinance adopted by the county fiscal body would be required and the county would typically form a commission to oversee revenues and expenditures. Bickel said he would compile example ordinances from other Indiana counties for the board to review.

Economic programs: Bickel summarized the EDC’s business-retention work and its revolving loan fund, which can award loans up to $250,000 for local expansion and gap financing. He said the EDC is working on workforce-development training in partnership with regional partners and Ivy Tech.

Next steps: Commissioners asked the EDC to send sample innkeeper-tax ordinances and to continue promoting the new downtown office as a resource for local businesses. No formal action was taken Tuesday.