Visit Marshall County asks for more detail on Blueberry Stomp $5,000 grant request

The Visit Marshall County Tourism Commission reviewed a grant proposal from the Blueberry Stomp and voted to request follow‑up information rather than approve funding at the meeting. The applicant described a need for a $5,000 investment to expand promotional marketing; commissioners said they need more data about overnight stays, vendor origins and how the requested funds would be spent.

Commissioners discussed the difficulty of estimating overnight stays and local economic impact from the application materials. Members noted the application estimated a large economic impact but that portions of the reported revenue—such as entry fees—appear to be retained by the event nonprofit rather than flowing into local lodging or retail. Commissioners asked staff to request a breakdown by origin (for example by state) for vendors and participants, documentation of how grant funds would be spent, and any registration data the event maintains showing where registrants traveled from.

The commission recorded the Blueberry Stomp event date as Monday, Sept. 1, and noted the applicant’s stated deadline for support paperwork as Dec. 31; commission members said they would seek clarification on whether the applicant expects funds this calendar year or for a future year. Commissioners also discussed previously used grant conditions—examples included requiring grantees to use funds for out‑of‑county marketing or to provide hotel‑rate subsidies for the farthest traveler—but took no new policy action at this meeting.

Direction given at the meeting was procedural: staff will follow up with the Blueberry Stomp organizers to request a vendor/origin breakdown by state, a line‑item budget for the requested marketing funds, and any registration data the event has that can support overnight‑stay estimates. The commission did not approve the $5,000 request at the meeting.