Nevada tourism committee reviews grant proposals

Having just arrived in Nevada with some time to kill before his business meeting, John decided to climb aboard the vintage streetcar for a trip from the Katy train depot at the east end of Cherry Street to Radio Springs Park. A guide on the streetcar kept up a running commentary on the history of various buildings they passed, what business was located there, who owned the business and where the business owner lived in town.

John cannot take this trip yet but in the near future John and many other people will be able to take this trip in the virtual world. All that will be needed is a computer and an Internet connection.

The virtual streetcar tour is just one of the possible features on a Web site that Melissa Earll is planning to build, showcasing what Nevada was like in 1900.

She told the Nevada Tourism Committee Tuesday evening during their annual tourism grant hearing that she has already done most of the necessary research and wants to have the Web site operational by May.

Earll told the committee that she is requesting a $3,500 grant, which will be matched for a total project cost of $7,000.

"I love Nevada and want to encourage people to visit here," Earll, who is J.K. and Wanda Arthur's granddaughter, told the committee.

I am doing this to help Main Street Nevada, which is co-sponsoring the project, to rebuild downtown Nevada, she said.

She told the committee that she envisions the basis for this project to be a panoramic view of Nevada made up of postcard views and other old photographs to show people what was here in 1900. Each of the views will be linked to other information on the view. There will be a separate section on the Insane Asylum, Cottey College and Radio Springs Park.

"When I was growing up that was Nevada," she said.

Earll told the committee that her interest in Nevada history was started when she had to learn about Nevada history when she was Bushwhacker Days Princess candidate in 1980.

"This is my passion," she said.

This project will be finished with or without the grant, she told the committee.

"I already invested hundreds of hours researching this," she said.

Earll said that her research included many hours at the Bushwhacker Museum, as well as a trip to the Missouri State Archives.

"This is a wonderful project," Judy Rogers, Ph.D., said. Rogers is Cottey College president and the newest member of the tourism committee.

This year the tourism committee, which is also known as IMPACT Nevada Tourism, has about $14,000 to give out in grants, which is 25-percent of the money collected from the city's 3 percent motel tax. Each year this tax generates about $60,000 which is used for tourism related expenses.

Committee members evaluated each proposal individually based on five criteria: does the proposal attract visitors from more than 50 miles away, will it encourage visitors to stay overnight in motels, does it provide community enhancement, does it have promotional value, and will the funds be matched by another source. Each criterion is worth up to 20 points.

The evaluation sheets are turned over the city clerk for tabulation and submission to the city council, which has the final say on the grants.

Earll's grant proposal is just one of the seven proposals submitted for consideration.

Main Street Nevada submitted two other grant proposals. One request was for $500 to cover 25-percent of the $2,000 total cost of printing the Main Street District tourism brochure that will be distributed across Missouri. The second Main Street grant request is for $250 to cover 25-percent of the $1,000 total cost of promoting the second annual Main Street Arts and Craft Fair on Oct. 20 and 21.

Judy Knowles requested a $1,500 grant to replace all but 10 of the flags that are displayed along Austin Boulevard from Memorial Day weekend until Veteran's Day. Knowles told the committee that the flags are four years old and are no longer useable. Knowles said that without the grant she would not be able to continue the project because the flags are worn out.

Jason Meisenheimer told the tourism committee that the Nevada Griffons were requesting a $6,000 grant to cover part of their $40,000 annual operating expenses. The Griffons have been providing summer collegiate baseball in Nevada for 20 years, bringing in teams from western Missouri and as far west as Liberal, Kan.

The committee considered two other grants Tuesday night.

The Missouri Northern Pecan Growers requested a $2,000 grant to cover 50 percent of the cost of holding a pecan festival to kick off the pecan harvest in October and a pecan buyers convention, which would attract about 300 pecan buyers from across the country. Committee members indicated they would like more information on the project and since there was no representative present, which is not required, they would postpone consideration of the grant until they could get more information. If there is money remaining after the other grants are awarded they can still receive a grant.

The Nevada Wrestling team requested a $500 grant to cover 50 percent of $1,000 needed to host a district wrestling tournament in February 2007. The committee rejected this proposal because the tournament will be held in 2007 and is not eligible for 2006 grant funds.