(Press release from Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce)
On February 15, 2023, the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce board decided, by majority vote to terminate their current lease with the National Park Service for the space occupied for the Visitors Center in the Minerals Museum. We will notify them in writing on March 1 that we are exercising our right to terminate the lease as of May 1, 2023. We have had a long-standing relationship and the board did not make this decision lightly.
We did due diligence to come up with workable solutions for funding the center, but no viable options were found. With the formation of the Travel and Tourism Development Authority, as required by recent State law, the Chamber will no longerreceive occupancy tax funds from the State. We also are no longer receiving money from the Mitchell County Commissioners following the closing of Federal Buildings during Covid19. It was the combination of these monies that funded the operations at the Visitor Centerby the Chamber.
Looking at our upcoming budget, the board sees no feasible way to continue operations at the Visitor’s Center, regretfully. It is our hope that the current TDA board and the National Park Service can work together to continue promoting tourism at the Visitors Center. The Chamber will continue focusing on supporting, promoting, and assisting our member businesses and non-profits all over Mitchell County and directing our efforts towards them.
