Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall announced today that the Estes Park Local Marketing District has won a $126,683 grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help develop a strategy to boost tourism and economic growth following the September 2013 floods.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of the economies in many Colorado communities, several of which took a huge hit from last year’s floods,” Bennet said. “This grant will help Estes Park put together a plan to make sure everyone knows that they are open for business. There’s no better time than now to enjoy one of Colorado’s most popular destinations.”
“Tourism is one of our state’s primary economic drivers, but last year’s devastating floods and the subsequent government shutdown hit Colorado communities hard, especially towns like Estes Park. These Economic Development Administration funds will help Estes Park continue its recovery, create jobs and bring back tourists,” Udall said. “I will continue fighting to secure the funding and support we need to ensure our state comes back stronger than ever.”
The grant will help fund a tourism marketing plan for Estes Park and the surrounding region. Using print and digital advertising, the campaign’s goal is to help local businesses make up for lost revenues that resulted from the devastating floods.
“We are thrilled that our EDA grant has been approved. Senator Bennet’s and Senator Udall’s offices have been instrumental in helping us obtain this federal investment in tourism marketing. It will no doubt go a long way towards helping Estes Park and the Northern Colorado region recover from the devastating floods of September 2013,” Peggy Campbell, president and CEO of Visit Estes Park, said.
Last October, Bennet and Udall urged the EDA to prioritize Colorado flood recovery efforts as it awards grants in the months following the floods. Both senators and their staffs have worked with Estes Park and several other communities in support of EDA grants to augment the flood recovery effort.
Grants awarded through the EDA’s Planning and Local Technical Assistance Program help communities develop the planning and technical expertise to support their comprehensive, entrepreneurial, and innovation-based economic development efforts.