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Watauga County leaders planning for more tourism-related projects

The action plan called Imagine Watauga will map out new tourism-related infrastructure projects for Watauga County over the next several years. Photo courtesy of Boone and Watauga County’s Development Authorities.

A new initiative is underway in Watauga County to boost economic development and create more tourism opportunities.

The tourism industry is booming in the High Country. Boone and Watauga County's Development Authorities are looking at new strategies to continue building off of that growth.

They started what's called Imagine Watauga. It's a long-range action plan with a goal of adding opportunities in the areas of arts and culture. That could bring things like public art sculptures, music venues and more green space for events. This goes beyond the current master plan that focuses primarily on outdoor recreation.

The projects will be funded from the occupancy tax on lodging from hotels, vacation rentals and other establishments in the area.

Wright Tilley, executive director of the Development Authorities, says it's a reinvestment of local tourism dollars that also enhances the quality of life for residents.

“What we hope to get out of the Imagine Watauga plan is good community dialogue," he says. "And the ultimate goal is for it to be a road map for us for the next you know 15 to 20 years for what to invest in.”

Tilley says community focus groups and an online survey are being conducted to gather the public's thoughts and ideas for the plan. He estimates it will take about a year before the final version is presented to the local tourism boards.

Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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