Visitors center wins approval for 2020 budget

The Columbus Area Visitors Center has won approval for its $1.4 million budget for next year.

The center is funded out of revenues from a 5 percent tax on hotel rooms called an innkeeper’s tax. The center announced that it has won approval this week for its proposal to the Bartholomew County Recreation, Convention, and Visitor Promotion Commission which oversees the distribution of those funds.

The visitors center also won approval from the commission for two grants to help local tourism efforts. That would include $100,000 for a new kidscommons exhibit and $100,000 for upgrades to the playground at The Commons. Those grants are contingent on other groups providing the rest of the funding for the projects.

The commission contracts with the visitors center to promote and grow local tourism.