Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown Tourism Grant and Executive Board met Thursday morning at The CSi Technology Center at Historic Franklin School.

Members present were: President Matt Woods, Mitzi Hager, Frank Balak, and Tena Lawrence.

Jamestown Tourism Director Searle Swedlund.

No Ex-Officio Members were present.

Grant request were made by the Jamestown Rural Fire Department for the Annual Ice Fishing Tournament, and 5 Star Bucking Bulls for the Duel in the Dirt Bull Riding.

The Annual Ice Fishing Tournament will be held February 16, 2019 at Jamestown Reservoir.

The Rural Fire Department represented by    Travis Lemieux , and Fire Chief Ben Maulding, requested $4,000, for advertising including regional billboards, outside the Jamestown area, along with ads in Dakota County Magazine.

5200 tickets will be available.

The estimated economic impact is $87,500, with a total of anticipated visitors at 1,300.

The projected profit is $31,500.

He said, in 2018 there were 1290 participants, with 940 from outside Stutsman County.

Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund pointed out the tournament continues attract people from outside the Jamestown area.

The board recommended funding the full amount of $4,000, as the tournament continues to grow, and has the opportunity to continue to grow, and Tourism can be a part of its growth, by with adverting support.

With The Duel in the Dirt, Bull Riding the organization requested $5,000 for advertising and promotion of the event to be held November 16 and 17, at the Jamestown Civic Center, along with miniature bull riding for children 9-14 years old.

Funding from sponsors is put at $35,000, rider entry fees at $7,000.

2400 visitors are anticipated, of $252,500 to 333,750.

The board table the request, needing more documentation in the request form.

Swedlund said the event attendance needs clarifying, saying the organization is welcome to resubmit the request at the October meeting.

With the Executive Board Meeting:

With the Tourism Report, Director Searle Swedlund noted possible grant requests for 2019 events in Jamestown.   Those possibly include from the National Women’s Wrestling Tournament to be held in March of 2019 at the University of Jamestown.  Another possible request may come from organizers of North Dakota Hockey Day, which will include participates necessitating overnight stays in Jamestown.

He noted recent events in Jamestown that included the recent Big Guns of the Old West event at Fort Seward which attracted a good crowd of 170, including out of town visitors.

He added the Fort Seward Interpretive Center’s video presentation is progressing, and that the Louis L’Amour area at the Alfred Dickey Public Library is moving along, with interpretive panels and a kiosk, for visitors.

He added several applications have been submitted for the position of Tourism Office Manager, with interviews starting next week.

The Tourism Nominating Committee proposed individuals for directors.

Swedlund added that the nominations will be forwarded to the full Tourism Board for a final decision at the January 2019 meeting.

Those nominated are:  President Matt Woods, Vice President Tena Lawrence,  Treasurer Taylor Barnes, Director Frank Balak, and Paulette Ritter.