The Owensboro-Daviess County’s Convention and Visitors Bureau is receiving $5.46 million in ARPA funds to help attract more conventions and boost tourism in the area.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a transformational economic impact for Owensboro and Daviess County,” said Visit Owensboro President and CEO Mark Calitri. “This is the opportunity for Visit Owensboro to lead a multi-year effort that will create lasting change in our tourism economy.”
The state is allocating funds to tourism bureaus across Kentucky. Visit Owensboro is receiving $5 million that will be dedicated toward meetings and conventions, and the funds must be used by December 2026. Another $469,189 that Visit Owensboro is set to receive will go toward destination marketing organizations and must be used by December 2024.
Calitri noted that the funds cannot be used toward locally hosted events — whether that be music festivals such as ROMP, weddings, social events, nonprofit organization events, etc.
The funds can be used as a financial incentive to help book events by out-of-town organizations, but only at specific Owensboro facilities: the Owensboro Convention Center, Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, RiverPark Center and Owensboro Sportscenter.
Visit Owensboro Board Chair Claude Bacon said each event the organization considers providing money for needs to be justified and should require a significant and justifiable return on the investment.
“At the board level, we are significantly increasing expectations for our organization and creating a new transformative path forward,” Bacon said.
Calitri and Bacon both said the funds will allow new people to come to Owensboro and expand the city’s hotel occupancy throughout the year.
