Published: September 19, 2008 02:44 am            

West Virginia tracks come up big in state’s tourism grant awards

CHARLESTON — Three of West Virginia’s racetracks will receive about 40 percent of $2.3 million in tourism advertising promotion grants announced by the state Tuesday.

Overall, the state Tourism Commission awarded matching grants to help a total of 20 businesses and organizations promote themselves to potential customers. The grants program has been in effect since 1995.

The three tracks received more than $911,000 of the awards.

Charles Town Races and Slots received $497,498 for its plan to promote the Eastern Panhandle track and slot venue to residents of Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

The state’s other horse track, Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in Chester, received nearly $232,844 to lure customers from Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Dog track Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack received $181,299 to promote the track, the Wheeling area and other attractions to potential clients in Columbus, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Others receiving grants include Timberline Four Seasons Resort, The Resort at Glade Springs and the Wheeling Nailers hockey team.

Timberline proposes to use its $262,916 to promote the ski resort and Canaan Valley as a year-round vacation destination. The Tucker County resort plans to target residents from Delaware to Florida.

Glade Springs received $299,813 to encourage people to use the Raleigh County resort as a base to explore southern West Virginia attractions.

The Nailers received $199,640 to promote the minor league hockey team and encourage Pittsburgh-area residents to attend home games in Wheeling.

Others receiving grants were:

• American Mountain Theater Inc. in Elkins, $64,744.

• Augusta Heritage Center at Davis and Elkins College, $28,514.

• Cabell-Huntington Convention & Visitors Bureau, $46,682.

• Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, $19,866.

• Country Roads Cabins in Fayette County, $50,535.

• Long Run Reality, doing business as Timberline Four Seasons Reality, Canaan Valley, $25,897.

• Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau, $105,072.

• National Radio Astronomy Observatory, $41,000.

• New River Gorge Convention and Visitors Bureau, $57,591.

• Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau, $56,977.

• Raleigh County Commission, doing business as Burning Rock Off-Road Park, $50,000.

• Showshoe Properties Management LLC, Snowshoe, $14,120.

• Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Brooke and Hancock counties, $95,006.

• Travel Berkeley Springs, $38,508.

        

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