tourism

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s new Visitor Center will operate with extended hours beginning Friday, May 26th, in time for Memorial Day weekend o- the “unofficial” start of the travel season.

The Visitor Center volunteer opportunity is open to any Genesee County resident or civic organization that would like to welcome our visitors, provide directions, or suggestions on places to visit or great places to eat. Volunteer shifts are two-and-a-half hours long and can be done on a weekly, biweekly, or as needed basis.

For more information – please stop by the Visitor Center at 8276 Park Road, or give Lauren Humphrey a call at 585-344-4152.

Tour this mansion-turned-museum for over 100 years of unique history! The Historic Le Roy house was built in 1822 by Jacob LeRoy and later owned by the chancellor of Ingham University, which was the first female university in the United States to grant a four-year degree.

Learn more in this week's historical society feature and be sure to pay a visit! The museum is open Monday -- Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with extended hours beginning in the Spring.

Historic Le Roy House, 23 E. Main St., Le Roy, NY; 585-768-7433.

Visit www.VisitGeneseeNY.com to learn more about Genesee County's unique attractions.

A weak Canadian dollar kept many tourists from the north out of New York and Genesee County, as a result, saw a decline of 3 percent in bed tax revenue, Tom Turnbull, president of the Chamber of Commerce, told county legislators yesterday.

Turnbull and tourism director Kelly Rapone provided a review of chamber and tourism activity at the Ways and Means Committee meeting.

"People were not traveling as much," Turnbull said. "But talking with our friends in Buffalo-Niagara, we did better than them. They were down 10 percent."

The weak exchange rate for Canadians didn't keep too many golfers away, though, Turnbull said. Because the prices at local golf courses are so competitive, the chamber was still able to sell a number of golf packages.

Turnbull thinks the county's bed tax revenue will return to a level of $420,000 or higher in 2017 in a large part because this will be the first full year of operation for the new hotel at Batavia Downs and this year a new hotel should open on the north side of the Thruway in Batavia, the Fairfield by Marriott.

Group sales have continued to do well, if not better, Turnbull said. Genesee County continues to be a popular location for soccer, lacrosse and baseball tournaments. 

"That brings people into the hotels and they spend money and that’s what we’re looking for," Turnbull said.

Rapone shared copies of the new tourism promotional material the chamber has available. She also debuted the totally redesigned tourism website visitgeneseeny.com. The modernized website will make it easier for tourists to find information about visiting Genesee County, she said, and it will also make it easier on both golfers and staff to handle bookings for golf packages.

During the meeting, Legislator Ray Cianfrini also floated the idea of creating an entertainment tax. He noted that when he's gone to venues in other counties he's noticed the ticket price includes an entertainment tax, so he's been researching it. The tax, if implemented, would likely apply only to venues over a certain size, say with seating of 2,500 or more, and colleges would be exempt.  

The only current venue where such a tax might apply is Darian Lake Performing Arts Center.

"It might be another source of revenue," Cianfrini said.

Genesee County should get a chance to compete for the governor's proposed increase in tourism spending, according to Kelly Rapone, tourism marketing director for the Chamber of Commerce.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is planning on adding $5 million to the tourism budget, making the total statewide spend $55 million.

Rapone said she anticipates seeing the amount available for competitive grants increase, and while she didn't have specific projects to pitch right now, she said for the county to get a portion of the money, it would need to submit a project to the state for consideration.

That's how the chamber won a $90,000 grant to promote the state's Haunted History Trail. The trail points tourists to dozen of potentially haunted, historical locations from Warick to Dunkirk and is promoted statewide with the grant money.

Rapone said she's been around long enough to remember when the state government didn't take tourism seriously and allocated few resources to the industry, which she said does provide a significant boost the economy.

"I have to say, anytime there is money dedicated to tourism, that is a good thing," Rapone said.

Gov. Cuomo has shown a lot of interest in tourism, especially in boosting tourism around ag products such as wine and craft beer.

The local tourism bureau also receives state money through a complicated formula for matching funds. The formula is based on regional and local considerations and the amount of the request. Last year, Genesee County received $66,000, or about one third of the tourism agency's operating budget.

Fine dining is alive 'n’ well in Batavia! For the past year and a half, Rochester Club West at Bohn’s has successfully carried the culinary torch at 5256 Clinton St. in Batavia. The physical location has been a dining destination for almost 50 years. Owner Charyleah Cordone has brought her nearly 40 years of restaurant experience to the location and is carrying the restaurant into a bright future.

The former Bohn’s Restaurant & Lounge was a major dining destination in Genesee County for 45 years. The restaurant, lounge and banquet facility was beloved by the public – which is exactly why it is exciting that it landed in the hands of a successful and capable new owner in Cordone.

The restaurant kept some of the Bohn’s menu favorites and added new mouthwatering items. Steaks, seafood, pasta and poultry items make up most of the menu. There are also three entrees for vegetarian customers. The restaurant’s dark wood walls and distinct seating areas make it a relaxing place to enjoy a meal. A favorite for some customers is a booth seating area down a small hallway. Freshly prepared foods, including expertly hand-cut steaks, and friendly wait staff are winning new fans of Rochester Club West at Bohn’s.

In addition to the restaurant, there are is a sizable banquet space for 175+ people. The space is good for large and small meetings. Cordone has an extensive resume in wedding and event planning and looks to bring more of that business to the facility.

In this fast-moving world, it’s nice to celebrate the things that don’t change – like 5256 Clinton St. in Batavia. Make Rochester Club West at Bohn’s part of your future dining plans.

Visit www.VisitGeneseeNY.com to learn more...

If you have a history lover or a curiosity seeker on your holiday shopping list, the gift shop area of the Holland Land Office Museum (131 W. Main St., Batavia) is going to be your best friend this holiday season.

Genesee County is blessed with rich American history. The county’s location and people have made significant contributions to the history of our country. The Holland Land Office Museum has a great gift shop that features many local history books and local history items for sale. It’s refreshing to see such a nice array of offerings.

You can visit the gift shop area Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Take a look at some of our favorite items:

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Bill Cosby was the public face of Jell-O for many years.

And while his ties to Le Roy’s Jell-O Museum were never strong, they're almost nonexistent now.

Cosby visited the museum for about an hour in 2004, to help open an exhibit commemorating his 30 years as Jell-O’s spokesman. To mark the occasion, a pair of commemorative bricks were added to the “Jell-O Brick Road” that leads pedestrians from Main Street to the museum.

Last year, when sexual-assault allegations against the comedian were brought to wide public attention, the bricks were discreetly removed and placed in storage.

“We just thought it was inappropriate (to keep them there),” said Lynne Belluscio, the museum director. “We also worried a little about vandalism.”

At the time, Belluscio also worried the museum would get some unwelcome media attention.

That never happened.

And it didn’t happen on Wednesday, when a felony charge was filed against Cosby in Pennsylvania.

“We kind of braced ourselves, and we got nothing,” Belluscio said Thursday. 

“I was expecting a lot more,” she added. “In fact, I came in this morning to see if there was anything in the e-mail — and we got nothing.”

A collection of Jell-O TV commercials featuring Cosby used to be part of the museum exhibit, but isn’t anymore. Cosby’s photograph is included with advertising displays — along with other famous Jell-O spokesmen, including Jack Benny.

So when Belluscio is asked about Cosby, she points out that he’s not the reason for the museum.

“Our kind of pat answer is, we don’t have an affiliation with the Jell-O company and that we really focus on the history of Jell-O in Le Roy,” Belluscio said. 

That history begins in 1897— when Pearle Wait invented the gelatin dessert  — and ends with General Foods’ 1964 decision to close its Le Roy factory and move Jell-O production to Delaware.

The Jell-O Museum draws more than 10,000 visitors a year. That number reflects the enduring popularity of the dessert — not Cosby.

Even in 2004, Belluscio said, his role as pitchman was already “old hat.”

“Which to me, is indicative that the brand has moved beyond him — and had, for a long time,” she said. “In today’s advertising market, that’s the way it is.”

(Submitted photo of Kelly Rapone, with the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, and Amber Ciesiulka, with Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, with their respective awards.)

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and Darien Lake Amusement Park Resort both received awards recently for Excellence in Tourism Marketing from the New York State Tourism Industry Association.

The New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) has recognized leaders in New York State’s tourism industry who have achieved a high level of excellence and accomplishment at the 2015 Tourism Excellence Awards. The winning individuals or organizations were selected on the basis of demonstrated commitment, leadership, and accomplishment in travel and tourism.

Genesee County Chamber of Commerce earned the “Excellence in Tourism Marketing -- Statewide” for its Haunted History Trail of New York State program. Created by Genesee County Chamber of Commerce in 2013, it is the only statewide haunted tourism trail in the country. The program includes partnership with 30 tourism promotion agencies and promotes over 60 haunted inns, hotels, museums and more across New York State and was developed to draw tourists who have an interest in ghosts.

Darien Lake Amusement Park was recognized for “Excellence in Tourism Marketing -- Private Sector ” for their 2015 overall marketing program which focused on delivering an exceptional value and experience to season pass holders, daily visitors and overnight guests. Darien Lake Amusement Park Resort is New York State’s largest amusement park resort featuring over 50 rides and attractions including a 10-acre waterpark and a variety of overnight options including a hotel, cabins and a campground.

The organizations received their awards at the NYSTIA Tourism Excellence Awards Dinner on Thursday, Oct. 22, at The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. Kelly Rapone and Taylor White, Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, and Amber Ciesiulka, Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, accepted the awards at the event.

Press release:

Here is a fun and interesting way that you can assist your community -- by volunteering a few hours at the Genesee County Visitor Information Center. If you love our surrounding communities, enjoy helping people, and feel that you could be great ambassador for Genesee County, the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is looking you.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce will reopen the seasonal Visitor Information Center on Friday, June 5th. The center is located at 131 W. Main St. in Batavia and operates in the summer months to assist summer visitors.

The Chamber is currently looking for a few helpful residents to greet visitors and provide directions and area information to travelers at our visitor “booth,” which is located in the parking lot of the Holland Land Office Museum.  Our volunteers greet visitors, hand out maps, dining guides, provide directions, recommendations and more. 

Available shifts are:

• Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.
• Sundays: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., as well as every other Sunday 3 to 5 p.m.

If you are interested in a two- or three-hour shift, weekly or biweekly, please call Kelly Rapone (585) 343-7440, ext. 23, at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Photo by Howard Owens.

The reality television series "American Pickers," about two guys traveling around the country looking for "rusty gold" -- stuff some might call junk, others call collectable -- is going to make another swing through Western New York and the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce was asked to help get the word out.

Producers are interested in hearing from or about interesting people with interesting private collections.

From the press release:

Filming is scheduled to start next month. "American Pickers" is looking for leads and would love to explore what you may have. They are on the hunt for interesting characters with interesting and unique items. Some of what they look for: vintage bicycles, toys, unusual radios, movie memorabilia, advertising, military items, folk art, vintage musical equipment, vintage automotive items, early firefighting equipment, vintage clothing, pre-'50s Western gear.

If you have a large collection or want to refer someone to Mike and Frank, e-mail your name, number, address and description of the collection and photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com, or call 1-855-old-rust.

Darien Lake Theme Park draws thousands upon thousands of visitors from all over Western New York each summer, but General Manager Chris Thorpe says Genesee County residents are going to be especially pleased with what they find at the park this season.

Two new massive rides are going to add a lot more value for season-pass holders, he said, and local season-pass holders are an important customer base.

"We are excited to present these two new attractions this year," Thorpe said. "We think it cements us as the best entertainment value in Western New York, particularly from a local perspective. For Batavia residents, local Genesee County residents, our season pass will offer so much more this year. We're excited to give them the opportunity to come out and visit the park frequently, over and over, to see what a great value we are."

The new rides are called Brain Drain and Rolling Thunder.

Brain Drain is a massive, seven-story waterslide that offers twin free-fall drops through tubes that loop and cross, with riders zooming through at 38 feet per second until they're blasted into a pool of water at the base.

Riders start in an enclosed launch capsule, with both riders dropping into the tube simultaneously when the floor beneath them gives way.

Roling Thunder is a compact steel loop that stands 73 feet at its apex and propels 24 riders at time through a closed loop on a high-speed train. The ride hangs passengers upside down and rockets back and forth through the loop.

Construction will begin soon and the rides are expected to be ready for opening day, May 9.

The expansion gives the park 47 rides for visitors to choose from, with enough variety to please all guests, Thorpe said.

"There's so much to do, but what's even better, is there's something for everybody in the family here," said Thorpe, who is originally from Buffalo and first started working at Darien Lake in 1995, rising to the level of general manager, transferring to other theme parks for the past couple of years and now returns home.

Noting how important Darien Lake is to the local economy in the jobs it creates and the tourism dollars it attracts, Chamber President Tom Turnbull said it was great to see the theme park adding rides.

"One of the things I've learned from our friends at Darien Lake -- they've kind of schooled me on the amusement park business -- is how important attractions are in driving attendance," Turnbull said. "To have not just one new attraction, but two new attractions means, I think, we can expect a banner year at Darien Lake."

Adding rides is a departure from last year's strategy to draw visitors to the park, using entertainment, such as the Harlem Globetrotters, a Latin music festival, and, of course, Nik Wallenda to draw in crowds.

To be sure, Wallenda brought guests to the park, but he's moving on to other venues this season and Thrope said the new rides are a good fit for what the park already offers.

"We'll still have our traditional entertainment in place, the magic shows and things like that, but last year's focus was Nik Wallenda, which was a very strong attraction," Thorpe said. "This year, we're going more with a hardware focus and looking at attractions that will peak people's interest."

The park will still work to maintain its identity as a destination with strong Western New York roots, Thorpe said, a branding effort begun by park management two seasons ago.

"It's important for us to be woven into the cultural fabric of Western New York and those things like the Anchor Bar and Tim Horton's and all the local vendors we work with are critically important to our success," Thorpe said.

Chris Thorpe explaining Rolling Thunder.

Tom Turnbull

Press release:

Darien Lake confirms that its amusement park and water park were closed for approximately two hours today, after the water supply was accidentally cut off.

Monroe County Water Authority had been conducting routine maintenance nearby, which adversely affected the park’s water supply at 11:30 a.m. During the outage, Darien Lake’s bathrooms, food service, and water park were affected.

Darien Lake management closed the park at noon for guest safety. The park’s maintenance crews restored service before 1 p.m., and the park was reopened by 2 p.m.

Press release:

In its latest step to ensure the safety and enjoyment of guests going to the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Lake has announced it will require concertgoers to park in free on-site lots. As of Aug. 17, pedestrian access to the Performing Arts Center will be restricted to passenger drop-off at a designated area near the main gate.

“We offer more than enough parking to accommodate park visitors, overnight guests, and a sell-out crowd at the Performing Arts Center,” explained Darien Lake General Manager Bob Montgomery. “In our work with Live Nation, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, and New York State Police, we’ve determined that allowing pedestrian access to concerts increases risk to those walking along the roadway, increases traffic jams before and after concerts, and increases the incidence of excessive pre- and post-show alcohol consumption.”

The new parking rules mark the second significant step Darien Lake’s management organization, Herschend Family Entertainment, has implemented this year to improve the concertgoing experience. At the beginning of the 2012 season, Darien Lake stepped up patrols to decrease the incidence of underage drinking at its events. As a result, arrests for underage drinking have more than doubled over last year.

To help enforce its new parking policy, Darien Lake will erect a fence along Sumner Road (County Road 21). Construction of the fence began on July 24th, and will take approximately three weeks. All concert attendees will be required to enter by vehicle at the main Darien Lake entrance. There will continue to be no charge for on-site parking for concertgoers.

“Darien Lake was built to handle an influx and outflow of traffic,” Montgomery said. “With less traffic coming onto side roads from offsite parking, we believe this new policy may ultimately result in smoother traffic flow.”

The Darien Lake Performing Arts Center schedule includes eight concerts between now and the end of this year’s concert season (Sept. 15). The new policy will be in effect beginning August 17, throughout the 2012 and future concert seasons.

Pictured are John White and Ben Zhao, both of Clarence, who were two of many youngsters who came to Darien Lake Theme Park yesterday to get free tickets.

Why do they get such special treatment? Well, the short answer is that they could be helping bring a fortune into Genesee County.

John and Ben are two of almost 1,600 kids, ages 12 to 18, who are competing in the Darien Lake Baseball Tournament, which starts today and involves youth from all over the Northeast and part of Canada.

According to Kelly Rapone, who works for the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, there are a total of 106 teams, with 15 kids on each team. Kids from outside of Genesee County will, of course, be accompanied by their families.

This is likely to be a major boon not only for Darien Lake Theme Park -- which is sponsoring the tournament -- but also for the county in general. In addition to Darien Lake tickets for the kids, all visiting families receive welcome packets with visitors' and dining guides.

But what exactly is this tournament, and how did it come about?

According to Rapone, this is a "public-private venture to grow our economy through sports."

It all started a couple years ago with a conversation between Chris Suozzi of Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), Neil Turvey of A-Turf (a Cheektowaga-based company that specializes in synthetic grass surfacing for sports fields), and former Senator Mary Lou Rath. They met to discuss possible opportunities for Genesee County.

"There are a lot of synergies right here (in Genesee County)," Suozzi said. "Our location is real prime -- right on the New York State Thruway, between Buffalo and Rochester."

Suozzi and Turvey then got involved with Tom Lichtenthal, the Town of Batavia engineer, and Craig Yunker, who owns the Batavia Turf Farm on Bank Street Road.

Up until now, the Turf Farm has mainly been used for youth soccer games. Turvey would like to develop a baseball training center there, as well as space for baseball and softball games next to the soccer field.

Turvey, of Lockport, said this "is just phase one."

"We hope to eventually have 11 fields for baseball and softball."

Before taking on the ambitious task of "taking baseball (in Genesee County) to the next level," as Suozzi put it, he and Turvey wanted to have a baseball tournament  here to see if it would be successful.

Suozzi said this idea came from an observation of how well local soccer teams have done with their tournaments.

With this in mind, and having connections with Darien Lake, he set up a meeting between himself, the theme park's general manager and Turvey. It was agreed that Darien Lake would sponsor the tournament.

"Our hope is that this will be economically impactful," Suozzi said. "When people and families come in, it brings sales tax dollars to our community. That's something people don't realize -- events like this are a real draw for that."

"We're expecting to see somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000 people this weekend," Turvey said, "and around 7,500 people total."

The teams are divided into three groups: 10- to 12-year-olds, 13- to 15-year-olds and 16- to 18-year-olds. The 10- to 12-year-olds are playing today and tomorrow at Pembroke High School, at 8750 Alleghany Road in Corfu, and at the Pembroke town park, which is right behind the high school.

Next weekend (June 11-12), the 13- to 15-year-olds will play at three Batavia sites -- Batavia High School at 260 State St., John Kennedy Elementary School at 166 Vine St., and GCC at 1 College Road -- and Barrie Park, just outside of Albion.

Finally, the 16- to 18-year-olds will play Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19 at these same four locations and at Pembroke High School.

Four games are played at each location every day of the tournament. Start times for each game are 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. They are free and open to the public, and food is available.

As difficult and time-consuming as it has been to coordinate this whole thing, Turvey is grateful for the amount of support the tournament has gotten from the Genesee County community.

"Everybody's been fantastic," he said. "The government agencies, the hotels, the chamber...the schools have also been very supportive."

If you have any questions or would like more information, call Turvey at (716) 462-8155. I spoke with him a minute ago, and he said that today's games are still on; they're just waiting for the weather to clear up a bit.

SUPPLEMENTAL PHOTOS:

A rather "impressive" wooden bear guards the entrance to the Darien Lake lodge (right near where the kids came to pick up their tickets). Here he is a bit more close up.

In 2010, bed-tax revenue returned to normal, said Kelly Rapone, director of tourism and marketing for Genesee County.

After abnormal years in 2008 and 2009 -- when first a lot of construction drove the revenue numbers up to record heights, and then a recession and bad summer weather caused revenue to plummet -- 2010 put revenue back on the growth track of previous years.

Not every hotel did equally as well. Darien Lake Theme Park grabbed most of the revenue and the growth. But overall, last year was a good one for Genesee County tourism.

"It was a really good season, but it was a mixed bag," Rapone said. "The bulk of the number is driven by Darien Lake. They were going gangbusters this summer, while some other hotels were down a bit."

Recently, Darien Lake added 24 "Brown Bear" cabins, which can sleep up to eight and offer extra amenities, as well as added other accommodations. The Darien strategy has been to try to keep guests on site.

"The did keep a lot of business," Rapone said. "I would say eight of 10 calls we got here were from people wanting to stay on the property."

In all bed-tax revenue in 2010 was $356,133, up slightly from the last "normal" year, 2007, when it was $350,435.

While Darien Lake accounted for about one-third of the bed-tax revenue, the theme park also did a lot to bring people into the county, which helped a lot of other businesses.

The concert season was "awesome," Rapone said.

"If you were anywhere in Western New York, you couldn't escape the advertising for Darien Theme Park," Rapone added.

If you like good wine, you'll love a new event coming to downtown Batavia in early October. The premier of the "Taste of Fall Wine Walk" will introduce you to 15 of the finest wines produced in Western New York.

And it will give you a chance to take your own sweet time visiting 15 participating businesses and see what they have to offer. Mark your calendar for Saturday, Oct. 2, anytime from 5 until 9 p.m.

Tickets are $15. The Wine Walk ends with a raffle for prizes.

It is sponsored by the Batavia Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

The self-guided tour begins at the chamber office -- at 210 E. Main St. -- where each person will be given an etched wine glass and a program to guide them from location to location.

There will be plenty of hors d'oeuvres to sample along the way, too.

In preparation, businesses will be going autumnal in decor. BID Executive Director Don Burkel said that he and the BID Promotional Committee hope to get started with decorating after Sept. 11.

Burkel also said that anyone who'd like to help decorate is more than welcome.

"Just give us a call," he said, adding, "We'd like to see the businesses get creative with this. For example, each business might have a different type of scarecrow to distinguish itself."

Michael Anthony's Salon & All-Star Barbershop is way ahead of things. The proprietor has gone well beyond scarecrows, creating stunningly beautiful wreaths and floral arrangements that he made himself. He also sells the needful beauties. Many are on display in the salon and he crafts custom-made ones as well.

The impetus behind the Wine Walk, according to Dawn Ireland-Monsees, the chamber's tourism information coordinator, is to promote Batavia as "a great place to be in the Fall."

"It's also a great social opportunity and a reason for people to get together in small groups," Ireland-Monsees said. "Wine tours have always proven to be very popular."

Did you know that Western New York is second only to California in wine-grape production in the United States? And it offers wines that can stand up to long-famous European vintners, particularly its white varieties.

The regional portfolio includes perennial favorites like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Gris, and more.

Forget about "forward" "nose," "finish" and other wine terminology used by aficionados. Most wine experts say a good wine is simply one you enjoy. Price does not necessarily dictate taste.

Tickets can be purchased on the evening of the event, in advance at the chamber or at these businesses:

• Adam Miller's Toys & Bicycle, 8 Center St.
• Michael Anthony's Salon, 43 Jackson St.
• Next Level Fitness, 85 Main St.
• The Daily Grind, 85 Main St.
• Valle Jewelers, 21 Jackson St.

You may also reserve your tickets by calling the BID at 344-0900 or the chamber at 343-7440.

For more information, visit www.downtownbataviany.com.

The State's economic woes and a wet, dreary summer has put the squeeze on the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce's tourism promotion budget.

The state cut its "I Love New York" allocation to the chamber by 20 percent, or $15,000.

The wet summer kept some people from traveling and the local bed tax was down 9 percent, or $26,000.

That kind of drop is reminiscent of 2004, according to chamber Tourism Director Kelly Rapone. That year there were a lot of rainy days and that resulted in fewer hotel stays locally.

"The impact on the programming is that we're not really able to develop new programming or enhance the programming that we have," Rapone said. "It hurts our ability to provide additional marketing dollars to our partners"

The chamber's tourism division is responsible for helping bring people into the county for golf, or events, or sight-seeing. It puts together golf packages for individuals and groups, provides information on amenities and things to do and markets the county throughout the region.

One of the changes in market, Rapone said, is that the Chamber will reduce the radius of its marketing from about 300 to 500 miles to 200 miles.

"We're going to be looking to do more precise, targeted efforts rather than some of the broader initiatives," Rapone said.