County adopts economic strategy steps, approves Holiday Inn Express incentive and a branding grant resolution

The Campbell County Board of Supervisors on a February evening reviewed a yearlong comprehensive economic development strategy, approved incentives for a new Holiday Inn Express, and authorized staff to pursue grant funding and local match for a county branding and marketing program.

The plan and follow-up actions: The county’s Office of Economic Development staff and consultants from Phoenix Advantage presented a Strategic Economic Development Strategy (SEDS) completed after 61 in-person interactions, 35 one-on-one interviews, 50 people at a public summit and a paid online outreach campaign that produced 47 survey responses. The consultant and staff summarized a framework built on three themes — a unified marketing/brand strategy, preserving and enhancing quality of life, and measured business-base growth — and recommended short- and long-term actions to implement the strategy over five years.

Why it matters: The strategy will guide department work and project selection for five years, shape early actions included in the county’s capital plan and inform future budget and policy decisions. Supervisors stressed that implementation will return to the board as discrete programs or work-session items for funding or approval.

What the board approved and directed: - Incentive for Holiday Inn Express: The board approved a proposed incentive package of $413,276 for Veil 7 Hospitality Group to support a new Holiday Inn Express on Wards Road, to be paid on a performance basis tied to occupancy/tax impacts. The first payment is tied to certificate of occupancy; later payments are contingent on verified local tax/sales performance. (Motion by Supervisor Watts; motion passed.)

- County branding and marketing: Staff asked for and the board approved a resolution authorizing application for state grant programs and approved the CIP funding allocation previously included for a consultant-led branding and marketing program estimated at $70,000, with staff to pursue roughly $35,000 in matching grant awards. Staff noted the county will return with implementation and procurement steps and that most department heads agreed to use the outcomes across county communications and tourism materials. (Motion by Supervisor Watts; motion passed.)

Board discussion and caveats: Supervisors pressed staff on…