& CAROLYN

CARY

[email protected]

Tourism dollars

spent in Fayette County seem to be falling short of the area's potential,

according to Chris Clark, president and CEO of the county Development

Authority.

Clark conducted

an informational meeting last week concerning the formation of a tourism

task force. Those invited included motel/conference center managers, directors

of organizations such as the Peachtree City Tennis Center, Main Street,

Fred Brown Amphitheater and city managers.

"I think

we had a good mix," said Clark, adding that about 12 of the 20 invited

showed up.

Clark said

that a check of tourism dollars in surrounding counties saw an increase

in Coweta County of 6.8 percent, but a loss of 5.4 percent in Fayette

County in fiscal year 1999 actual dollars were down $2.5 million from

the 1998 level of $110.3 million.

"We were

kind of shocked by that," said Clark, adding that leaders in the

Development Authority have had the matter on their "to do" list

for about six months.

"I think

it's a great idea," said Development Authority Chairman Tate Godfrey

of the plan for a task force.

Godfrey said

the idea got a boost to the front burner when leaders in Peachtree City

approached hotel owners recently to inform them of plans for an increase

in hotel/motel taxes from 3 to 5 percent to help fund the final phase

of the Tennis Center.

"We told

them that would mean more room nights because we could have more and better

tournaments," Godfrey said. "They said it would be nice if we

had some way to formally coordinate activities in the city that could

help the hotels."

"It seemed

logical to bring it all together" under the county Development Authority,

Clark said. "There's never been a formal effort to promote tourism,"

said Godfrey.

During the

kickoff meeting, participants discussed the assets and weaknesses in the

county, whether it was important to have a calendar coordination of events

that will be taking place and ways in which entities could coordinate

with each other.

"Long

term, if we had an organization strictly devoted to hospitality, that

would be a positive thing for us," said Clark, "but we're a

long way from that."

Right now the

group is focusing on small steps like making sure local events don't compete

and pull participants away from one another, and using the assets that

the county has.

"We're

looking at the quality of living things here locally ... good draws and

family events for the folks that live here," said Clark. It's hoped

that some activities will draw people from outside the county as well

to help fill hotel rooms and restaurant seats, he said.

"There

are also quite a few vacancies [in retail spaces] and we're looking at

niche marketing to the kinds of antique stores and boutiques that might

fill some of those spaces," he added.

The task force

felt it important to pursue the matter of increasing tourist dollars and

more meetings will be conducted to formulate permanent plans.