Centre County’s tourism and hospitality industries are picking up steam again after a COVID-induced downturn, and that rebound was on display Thursday morning at the Rowland Theatre in Philipsburg.
Representatives of the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Board of Commissioners were joined by nonprofit and business leaders at the 105-year-old venue for the announcement of the 2022-23 Tourism Grant recipients.
A total of 60 projects from 56 recipients were awarded $636,900 in grant funding. Another $33,100 remains available for six applications involving 2023 events that were tabled until the fall. A record 75 applications, including 15 first-time applicants — had sought a total of $2.97 million in funding.
“We’re seeing visitation come back in a big way,” HVAB President and CEO Fritz Smith said. “The [grant] program’s not quite where we want to get it to but it’s almost there and I think we were able to do a lot of good with it this year.”
The grant program, now in its 20th year, is funded by the 5% local hotel occupancy tax authorized by the county. So the more hotel rooms are booked, the more money available for the program designed to boost initiatives and facilities that drive tourism and improve quality of life.
Last year, on the heels of the most severe COVID-related impacts on tourism, the grant program awarded $461,300 to 45 applicants. This year’s total marks a climb back toward 2019 levels, when the pandemic had not yet taken a major toll on the funding and a record $725,500 was awarded.
“Back when we had the room tax increase from 2.5 to 5% thanks to the county commissioners, we had visions of that grant pot being a million dollars within a few years,” Smith said. “COVID came in and got in the way but we’re back on track and I think we will get to that level in a couple years.”
While a variety of projects from every corner of the county are included among this year’s recipients, Commissioner Steve Dershem said they are all united by a common passion for Happy Valley.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the private sector, public sector, everybody here is here not only for what they’re passionate about and the things that light them up, but their passionate about our area,” Dershem said. “The whole room is full of folks that believe in what we do here in Centre County.”
That passion and collaboration has been evident in the development of the Harvest Fields Community Trails in Boalsburg, Nittany Mountain Biking Association board member Josh Stapleton said. The project’s first phase created nearly 4 miles of beginner-focused mountain biking trails on the Calvary Church property, which Stapleton said has become an “amazing little slice of heaven right at the foot of Rothrock [State Forest] in terms of all kinds of cross-generational outdoor activities.”
NMBA received $16,000 from this year’s tourism grant program to be used for phase two of the trails project, which will create a bike skills park with progressive obstacles and experiences for riders of varying skill levels.
“It has been unbelievably fulfilling to demonstrate that we can work together on a community project that requires a really diverse selection of people,” Stapleton said.
He added that the trails appeal to local residents, attract visitors and help businesses recruit employees interested in relocating to areas with outdoor recreation opportunities.
Grants are also helping established organizations overcome challenges and ensure they can continue to attract visitors.
The Rowland Theatre is among them. Last fall the theater’s roof began to leak and the volunteer, nonprofit board that operates the venue learned it needed to be replaced at an estimated cost of $78,000.
“We always have a list of projects that we’d like to accomplish at the theater and as we complete one, the next project in order of importance moves to the top of our to-do list,” Rebecca Inlow, Rowland board member, said. “Roof replacement was not even on our list.”
A $25,000 tourism grant will assist with the cost of the roof replacement, which is scheduled for September.
For Inlow, the roof problem was a reminder of the theater’s history — both good and bad. In 1978, a roof leak destroyed a mural that originally lined part of the auditorium. She also recalled that in the late 70s, the theater was on the brink of closing but the community stepped up to save it.
“It was the dedication and perseverance of this community that saved the Rowland Theater. Today the theater is run by volunteers and we strive and work very hard to keep these doors open,” Inlow said.
The grant will help “keep the Rowland’s story going,” she added. In addition to movies and shows in a historic setting, the theater also hosts the burgeoning Centre Film Fest, now in its fourth year.
“We are very grateful and appreciative for this grant,” Inlow said. “It’s going to be a tremendous help and it’s going to make this project much more doable.”
The Roland Curtin Foundation Board faces a challenge — and new opportunities — as well.
In 2019, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission informed the board it would be divesting ownership of Eagle Iron Works and Curtin Village, the 150-acre property in Howard that is home to the the last surviving charcoal-fueled iron furnace in Pennsylvania, the nearby workers’ village from the time of the iron works and the Curtin family mansion.
The board voted earlier this year to pursue ownership of the land and buildings itself.
“Before us are a number of challenges and a number of opportunities to make this a featured destination for Centre County and central Pennsylvania,” Sue Hannegan, president of the Roland Curtin Foundation Board, said.
The foundation received $19,500 for tourist oriented directional signage on Route 150, wayfinding signs on local roads and interpretative signage on the grounds of the iron works and village.
“We embrace this as an opportunity to extend our reach, inviting more friends, more visitors more local residents to Curtin, and especially those people who are coming a great distance,” Hannegan said. “We’ve already had people from Oregon this year so we are reaching out. But we need those signs and brochures in more far off places to make that happen. This grant will help us do that.”
Commissioner Mark Higgins said each of the tourism grant applicants is working to make Centre County stronger.
“These grants support our local nonprofits, our hospitality industry and the quality of life here in Centre County,” Higgins said. “We applaud the efforts of our grantees as they work to try to improve Centre County and improve our local quality of life.”
2022-23 Tourism Grant Recipients (first round):
- **Spring Township, $6,000 for engineering costs and creation of a master site plan for baseball fields, basketball courts, walking paths and a playground
- Centre County Library & Historical Museum, $10,000 for physical improvements to the Miles Potter-Humes House, where historical research is performed
- Bellefonte Art Museum, $9,000 to market the museum and its exhibits
- Bellefonte Art Museum, $15,000 to help fund an interactive education component of the Underground Railroad exhibit
- **David Boal Tavern, $2,500 to restore the historic tavern, with a goal of ultimately combining visits to the Boalsburg Heritage Museum
- Discovery Space, $14,000 to market events and general programming
- Happy Valley Women’s Cycling, $15,000 to market the Seasons of Rothrock race series, formerly the Rothrock Grit Gravel Grinder
- State College Borough, $2,500 to help market events at the MLK Jr. Plaza in downtown State College
- State College Borough, $7,000 to help replace the tables in MLK Jr. Plaza, which will increase seating capacity
- **The Makery, $2,500 to market facility and offerings
- PA Chamber Orchestra, $3,000 in support of marketing PCO performances
- Snow Shoe Rails to Trails Association, $7,000 for printing and distribution of a trail map
- **Bellefonte Cemetery Association, $4,000 to begin a five-year plan to develop digital maps, brochures, audio tours and guided tours at the historical Union Cemetery
- Mountaintop Swimming Pool Association, $12,000 to help refurbish the baby pool, main pool and construct a concessions shed
- Wildlife for Everyone Foundation, $5,500 to help support the Great Outdoor Picnic
- Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, $35,000 to help market the event
- Moshannon Valley EMS (Philipsburg Heritage Days), $12,000 to market the festival
- The Crooked House, $10,000 to help finish the Crooked House public art project in Milesburg
- Nittany Mountain Bike Association, $16,000 to help complete Phase 2 of the Harvest Fields Community Trails project, which includes construction of a skills park
- Nittany Performing Arts Center, $10,000 to support the architectural design of the building
- **Snow Shoe Park Corporation, $6,000 for metal door replacement on the grounds of the Snow Shoe Carnival
- Howard Volunteer Fire Company, $3,000 to market the annual Punkin’ Chunkin’ Festival
- Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion Museum, $15,000 to help complete the restoration of the Boal Barn Theatre
- **Happy Valley Comic Convention LLC, $5,000 to market a new comic con event that will be held at Nittany Valley Sports Centre in February 2023
- Central Pennsylvania 4th Fest, $20,000 to help market the event
- The Arboretum at Penn State, $7,500 to help promote the facility, programs and events, including the Pumpkin Festival
- Roland Curtin Foundation, $19,500 for TODS, way-finding and interpretive signage at Eagle Iron Works and Curtin Village
- First Night State College, $5,000 to market the New Year’s Eve event
- Downtown Bellefonte Inc., $20,000 to help market signature events, including Bellefonte Under the Lights, the Winter Market and Friday in the Fonte
- Penn State Center for the Performing Arts, $10,000 to help market the center
- Penn State Center for the Performing Arts, $7,000 for a website enhancement/analytics project
- Route 45 Getaways, $10,000 to help promote the Route 45 Corridor event, July 29 to Aug. 7
- Palmer Museum of Art, $10,000 to help market the museum as it celebrates its Golden Anniversary
- **Krislund, $7,000 to help market the facility, which serves as a summer camp, year-round retreat with conference facilities
- Millheim Borough, $10,000 to support the Millheim Walkfest of Art & Music, June 24-26
- Centre Region Parks and Recreation, $5,000 for educational displays at the Donald Hamer Visitor Center at Millbrook Marsh Nature Center
- Rowland Theatre, $25,000 to replace the auditorium roof at the historic theatre
- People’s Choice Festival, $10,000 to market the event, July 14-17 at Grange Park
- Penn’s Woods Music Fest, $2,800 to market four classical music concerts and two jazz concerts
- Centre County Grange Fair and Encampment, $25,000 to market Grange Fair
- Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation, $3,000 to support Education Programs at Black Moshannon State Park
- **Centre Model Railroaders, $5,000 to support the creation of a public, interactive teaching model railroad layout at Discovery Space
- Rooted Farmstead, $3,000 for visitor enhancements to the cut flower farm, including outdoor lounge seating, and a natural windbreak and hedgerow
- Central PA Tasting Trail, $5,000 to help market the trail, including the printing of passports and brochures
- Central PA Tasting Trail, $10,000 to help market four events: Arts Fest, Summer Craft Beverage Expo, a fall event in Boalsburg and a scavenger hunt
- **Nittany Valley Symphony, $3,600 to market performances
- Historic Bellefonte Inc., $40,000 to help support signature events
- Centre County Historical Society, $11,000 to reprint the Centre County Explorers passports and driving maps
- Tempest Productions, $12,000 to help support a new initiative – Sundays in the Park with Tempest
- **Way Fruit Farm, $7,000 to help market Art in the Orchard, July 14-16
- State Theatre, $30,000 to help market events, and redevelop the attic as event space
- Penn State Centre Stage, $10,000 to help promote the 2022-23 season
- CentreBike, $2,000 to renew the license with Ride with GPS and add bike routes to the app
- Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation, $7,000 to help market events and brand Philipsburg as “The Wilderness City”
- MTB50, Inc., $6,000 to promote the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon
- Potter Township, $6,000 for improvements to the baseball fields off of Route 322
- Centre Film Festival, $18,000 to support the Fourth Annual Centre Film Festival
- Lucky Dog Management, $20,000 to promote the Happy Valley Music Festival
- Bryce Jordan Center, $7,500 to provide incentives to event promoters
- Bryce Jordan Center, $10,000 to market events
** First-time applicants
