PRT commission reviews 13 tourism grant applications totaling $93,042; approves $5,000 disc-golf sponsorship

The Oconee County Parks, Recreation & Tourism (PRT) Commission reviewed 13 grant applications on Feb. 20, 2025, for programs and events funded by the state and local accommodations-tax revenues, and approved a separate $5,000 sponsorship to support five disc-golf tournaments scheduled through June.

PRT staff told commissioners the group received $93,042 in total requests and that $91,749 of that amount met eligibility criteria under the county’s accommodations-tax rules. “I am recommending that we can recommend up to $70,000 a cycle,” the staff presenter said, describing how the commission has divided funding in prior years and noting past disbursements dating to 2010.

The grants reviewed included event advertising, facility improvements and program support across the county. Applicants presented materials or were described to the commission as follows: the City of Seneca’s Independence Day advertising request; Discover Upcountry South Carolina’s regional marketing partnership; Eagle’s Nest Arts Center’s season advertising and venue upgrades; Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild’s show promotion; Oconee Military Museum advertising; the South Carolina Apple Festival; the Bigfoot Festival in Westminster; Farm Center facility upgrades; Foothills Farmstead restroom septic work; the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail; Walhalla Performing Arts Center advertising; Westminster Music Center concert series; and Wild Hearts Equine Therapeutics Center’s construction-completion and interstate advertising request. PRT staff applied a default 30% tourism-impact baseline for applicants that did not supply specific visitor data and used applicant-supplied impact percentages when available.

Staff summarized eligibility and prior awards for each applicant and said state-aid accommodations-tax funds are used in part for Visit Oconee marketing per state statute; staff also described local accommodations-tax revenue and the county ordinance that governs local distributions. Staff noted the state-side funds had been largely encumbered for dock projects previously approved by county council and that the local fund balance and encumbrances were included in the written treasury report presented to the commission.

During the meeting, representatives or presenters described select projects. The Wild Hearts representative said the nonprofit “assists people with physical, intellectual, or emotional difficulties” through equine-assisted services and charged clients $40 per session while describing average per-session operating costs. Other presenters gave short descriptions of attendance, budgets and tourism impacts for their events and venues.

The commission also voted on two formal items recorded in the meeting. A motion to approve the minutes from the prior meeting was made and recorded as "Motion by Alex, second by Riley." The commission approved the minutes; an abstention was acknowledged but not named in the record. Separately, the commission voted to sponsor five disc-golf tournaments at $1,000 each (total $5,000). The motion to approve the sponsorship was made by Alex Butterbaugh and recorded as seconded (second speaker not specified in the transcript); the chair called for the vote and the record shows the motion passed with all in favor.

No final grant award decisions were made at this meeting. PRT staff asked new commissioners to review the slides and the application packet and to submit funding recommendations at the commission’s next meeting; staff said the commission will make grant recommendations (not to exceed the recommended cycle cap) at that subsequent meeting and those recommendations will go to county council on March 18 for final consideration.

PRT staff also provided a multi-page annual report and a capital-projects summary to commissioners. Staff highlighted roughly 19 capital projects in the current budget year and described a planned expansion and reconfiguration at South Cove — including an increase in the number of pickleball courts and additional parking that will serve both courts and lake overflow — and said final design review is underway and the project is expected to go to bid within about 30 days.

The meeting closed with reminders about the next commission meeting (one week later) when officers will be elected and grant recommendations debated.

Ending: The commission did not finalize grant awards at the Feb. 20 meeting; commissioners will deliberate recommendations at the next meeting and forward their recommendation to county council for final approval on March 18.