For Immediate Release: November 20, 2008

Greene County to Consolidate Tourism Promotion Department
With Department of Planning and Economic Development

Merger Expected to Cut Costs by $100,000, Align Initiatives and Improve Service

CATSKILL, New York (November 20, 2008) – In a move to cut costs, align initiatives and improve service, the Greene County Legislature passed a resolution at its meeting on November 19th  to merge the Greene County Tourism Promotion Department into the Greene County Department of Planning and Economic Development. The consolidated department will be known as the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning.

The consolidation of the two departments is expected to achieve first-year cost savings of at least $100,000 through greater efficiencies, better deployment of staff and elimination of redundancies.  The staffs from the two departments will be fully integrated, with no immediate job cuts expected.  In addition, the county’s Tourism Visitor Center at Thruway Exit 21 will remain open to provide tourists with assistance and information about visiting Greene County.

"Greene County is taking an important step forward with the consolidation of these two departments," said Wayne C. Speenburgh, Chairman of the Greene County Legislature.  "We are taking two strong organizations and making them even stronger by combining them into one."

"In today's economy and with the current budget crunch, it makes more sense than ever to look at ways that Greene County can operate more efficiently without sacrificing the quality of its programs and services," said Dan Frank, Interim County Administrator. "The integration of these two departments achieves that goal and aligns our economic development and tourism objectives."

"Governments across America are exploring ways to streamline operations," said Karen Deyo, Chairman of the Legislature's Government Operations Committee.  "The consolidation of these two departments into a single, highly coordinated department is a great move for Greene County that will pay rewards for years to come."

"Tourism is economic development," said Warren Hart, AICP, the current Director of the Department of Economic Development and Planning, who will direct the combined departments. "In Greene County, tourism is our largest industry sector, accounting for significant revenue and jobs for our residents.  It is critical that our initiatives are strategic, well-coordinated and complementary since people who visit Greene County often come here with an eye toward moving, buying and investing here."

"This merger formalizes collaboration between the two departments that has been evolving over the past few years," noted Daniela Marino, current Director of the Greene County Tourism Promotion Department.  "It's a smart business move by Greene County that should help reinvigorate and renew our tourism initiatives through development of a new tourism strategic plan."

Integration of tourism and economic development under a single umbrella is not new.  New York State Tourism, for example, is under the aegis of the New York State Department of Economic Development.  Likewise, many other states, regions, counties and communities around the United States align the two functions, especially when they are closely tied to one another as they are in Greene County.

A prime example of Greene County economic development and tourism initiatives working hand-in-hand was the Tourism Enhancement Program spearheaded by the Department of Planning and Economic Development. Established in September 2005 and active through the end of 2007 when federal funding through the Small Cities Community Development Program ended, the Tourism Enhancement Program was designed to assist the county's resorts, lodging, restaurant, attractions and other tourism-related businesses with enhancement of their properties.  The grants helped pay for exterior/façade improvements, signage, furnishings, installation of high-speed Internet service, and additions of restaurants, conference facilities and gift shops. The Blackhead Mountain Lodge and Country Club, Bavarian Manor Country Inn, The Thompson House, Fairlawn Inn and The County Place Resort are among local tourism businesses that were awarded $25,000 matching grants through the program.

In addition to the Tourism Enhancement Program, Greene County Planning and Economic Development regularly makes loans through its revolving loan programs to tourism-related businesses.  The Windham Country Club, Yanni's III, Cameo's Restaurant, Scribner Hollow Lodge and Zoom Flume Waterpark, for example, are among recent Quantum Fund loan recipients.  The county's Main Street Revitalization Program has also been a vital part of improving the tourism allure of Greene County's villages and towns.

Greene County's new Comprehensive Economic Development Plan, adopted by the Greene County Legislature in July 2007, stresses the importance of tourism enhancement as a key to the county's economic growth, Mr. Hart noted.  "The tourism industry in Greene County faces ever-mounting challenges with changing trends in the global travel industry," he said.  "We must seek new ways to be creative, capitalize on our proximity to the New York metropolitan area and cultivate our rich historic, arts, cultural and natural resources to attract more visitors year-round."

Demolition work at the Coxsackie buildings has already begun with the restaurant and inn projected to open by May 2009 in time for the summer tourist season.

Plans call for a strategic planning initiative to be undertaken in conjunction with the Greene County Industrial Development Agency and Greene County Chamber of Commerce to develop a rebranding of the county’s image that capitalizes on its location in the Catskills and Hudson Valley, while conveying its unique attributes. The combined department also expects to launch a series of Tourism Roundtables to continue meeting with key leaders in the hospitality sector, as recommended in the Comprehensive Economic Development Plan, with the goal of getting the tourism industry more involved in advancing priority projects. Regional meetings with the hospitality industry and support of the Greene County IDA's Retail Destination Park are among other plans in the works.

For more information visit www.greeneebusiness.com or call (518) 719-3290.

Greene County Department of Planning and Economic Development

Warren Hart, Director, AICP

411 Main Street Catskill NY 12414 Phone: (518) 719-3290 Fax: (518) 719-3789

business@discovergreene.com www.greenebusiness.com