Green Bay tourism industry receives a federal boost
The good week, bad week and other news round up for the week from our Nov. 11, 2021 issue
By John McCracken
Good week for: Green Bay tourism industry
Gov. Tony Evers awarded $15 million in grants for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) throughout the state. Two Green Bay tourism and destination-based organizations received a slice of the pie.
Discover Green Bay—the new name for the Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc—received $1 million. On Broadway, Inc. received nearly $50,000.
“Wisconsin’s tourism industry was one of the first and hardest hit industries of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Evers said in a statement,” but our local folks at DMOs statewide have been innovative, dedicated, and resilient and it’s because of them that this industry is bouncing back and better.”
The two Green Bay organizations are a part of the DMO grant program, which helps 120 similar statewide organizations. The grant program was created to expand on the work of DMOs to attract regional, national and international visitors to Wisconsin cities.
On Broadway Executive Director Brian Johnson said the funding will help shore up losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This grant award will subsidize the income we lost during the pandemic to continue those direct marketing initiatives that positively affect our small business community,” Johnson said. “Tourism is experiencing a strong rebound and our aim is to capture those visitors to experience what the Broadway District has to offer.”
The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on Wisconsin’s tourism and entertainment industries. While businesses and communities still wrestle with the virus, recent data from the United States Travel Association shows that Wisconsin had its first monthly year-over-year growth since 2019—the state’s best year on record.
Bad week for: the Green Bay Area School Board
As first reported by The Press Times, current Green Bay Area School Board President Eric Vanden Heuvel will not seek reelection in April 2022.
Vanden Heuvel was elected to the board in 2019.
“I have made the difficult decision to not seek a second term due to personal and professional challenges that require more of my time,” Vanden Heuvel said in a press release.
Vanden Heuvel said he was proud of his time on the board and his accomplishments, such as hiring a new superintendent, opening the District’s Welcome Center, transitioning Jefferson Elementary into a Head Start Learning Center and his role in the launch of GBAPS’ online 4K-5 programs.
Vanden Heuvel currently works as the Greater Green Bay Chamber Vice President of Talent and Education, where he leads the Partners in Education Initiative.
John McCracken is the Editor of Green Bay City Pages. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @jmcjmc451.