Long Cove seeks roughly $50,000 in ATAX support for televised Darius Rucker intercollegiate

Christy Cohen, managing director of the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate and membership director at Long Cove, told the accommodations tax advisory committee the tournament remains the only women’s collegiate event televised live on U.S. television and is vital to Hilton Head’s visitor profile. She said Golf Channel broadcast the event for 25 hours across three live shows and seven re‑airings in 2026 and that the telecasts drew 1,700,000 unique viewers.

Cohen said Long Cove is seeking roughly $50,000 again for category‑1 marketing expenses and asked additionally for about $21,000 to rent spectator parking and trolley service; the latter would be reimbursed at Long Cove’s tourist percentage (about 74%). “We garnered 1,700,000 unique viewers,” Cohen said, and added the club recently signed another five‑year contract with Golf Channel that runs through at least 2031. Committee members asked about data sources (Cohen cited Google Analytics and a local digital marketing partner) and about sponsorship strategies after a recent $25,000 state sponsorship was not renewed.