From left, Shawn McKay, assistant city manager; Melinda Carroll, interim city manager; Dan Hartman, Assistant Director, City Department of Parks and Recreation; Mayor Tom Rowland; Jody Sliger, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; City Councilman Avery Johnson; City Councilman Charlie McKenzie; Brian Moran, City of Cleveland, Social Media/Grants; Teresa Torbett, City Department of Development and Engineering Services; Dave Jones, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
Cleveland has received a $50,000 Tourism Enhancement Grant from the state to be used for sound and lighting at the stage at Greenway Park.
The Tuesday check presentation was made in front of the stage.
Twenty-nine communities across the state shared part of the nearly $1 million grant program. There were 61 applications. Cleveland's share, $50,000, was the maximum one community could receive.
The Tourism Enhancement Grant program was funded by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and with the assistance of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The grant program grew out of a statewide listening tour, said Jody Sliger of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. She and Dave Jones, East Tennessee Regional Manager, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, presented the check to city leaders.
The grants are to be used to enhance tourism infrastructure, Sliger said. These enhancements will then encourage even more tourism.
Tourism is already a nearly $18 billion industry in Tennessee, Jones said. Teaming the state's Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Tourist Development for this grant was a good thing to do, he said.
"We are constantly enhancing and extending our greenway," Mayor Tom Rowland said. "With this grant we will continue doing that here at the Greenway Stage, making it even better for future events."
"We appreciate this support," said City Councilman Avery Johnson. "Our people love the greenway, he said. The enhanced stage will just add to that popularity, he said.
"The goal is to make the greenway park a destination, allowing more people to come and explore other areas including our restaurants," said Brian Moran with the city government.