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Tourism department seeks marketing dollars, eyes welcome‑center renovations
Summary
Tourism Commissioner Mark Ezell asked lawmakers for $13.5M for marketing and $7.5M for targeted grants, highlighted tourism's $31B visitor economy figure and urged support for a $165M nonrecurring welcome‑center modernization appropriation included in the governor's budget.
Mark Ezell, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, framed the department’s FY27 request around continued marketing and targeted‑grant investments to sustain visitor spending and local economic impact. “Our request is for 13,500,000 marketing, and a new 7,500,000 for targeting grants,” he told the committee, saying those investments support all 95 counties and help rural community development.
Ezell said tourism generates roughly $31,000,000,000 in visitor spending and accounts for substantial job and tax revenue contributions to education funding. Members asked for specifics about the governor’s $165,000,000 nonrecurring appropriation for welcome centers; department staff said planning is underway with TDOT and the Department of General Services. Lawmakers also pressed the department on grant administration, security at welcome centers and how ARPA and special event funds are being spent; the department said follow‑up details would be provided where grant administration is handled by other state agencies.
