In the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 (July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017), Garrett County experienced the highest increase in the state in tourism sales tax revenues, nearly twice the tourism increases posted by the state of Maryland. The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, the designated tourism marketing organization for the county, attributes much of the increase to the Chamber’s aggressive marketing plan with concentrated efforts and new ad strategies.
According to the Maryland Office of Tourism, in the first three months of Fiscal Year 2017 (July, August & September 2016), Maryland grew tourism sales tax revenues 3.0%, while Garrett County grew tourism sales tax revenues 5.8% during the same time period.Maryland grew lodging sales tax code collections 5.5% in the first three months of FY17, while Garrett County grew lodging sales tax collections 7.8%.
Garrett County experienced similar increases in fiscal year 2016 (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016). According to the Maryland Office of Tourism, in fiscal year 2016, Maryland grew tourism sales tax revenues 6.4%, while Garrett County grew tourism sales tax revenues 7.0% during the same time period.Maryland grew lodging sales tax code collections 6.3% in FY16 while Garrett County grew lodging sales tax collections 9%.
“We are very pleased to see a strong first quarter for FY17 as we approach the winter season that is extremely weather dependent,” said Nicole Christian, president & CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. “It is exciting to be leading the state in tourism growth but we are very aware that we have to continue our robust and innovative marketing efforts to remain competitive. We hope the State Office of Tourism will continue their efforts as well and that the Governor will maintain his support of this important industry by increasing tourism promotion funding for the Tourism Development Board.”
2016 has been a record year for tourism in the Deep Creek Lake area and Garrett County, Maryland with a 6.3% increase in county accommodations sales, a 19.3% increase in heads on beds, a 2.3% increase in sales tax collections and a 23% increase in visitors to the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce’s website, visitdeepcreek.com.
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OAKLAND, Md. — It’s a big lake, largest in Maryland. It sprawls with fingers of water scooting off in at least two major directions.
Deep Creek Lake just celebrated its 90th year created as a hydroelectric project in 1925. The generator still works but today the lake is centerpiece of a bustling tourism industry although wilderness remains everywhere. It has virgin hemlock stands — the only ones in the state. Savage River State Forest land to the east of the lake area adds 54,000 more wilderness acres. And it’s all scarcely 90 minutes from the Eastern Panhandle.
We began our getaway visit with a plunge into wilderness, searching out the four waterfalls in Swallow Falls State Park located not on the lake but on the Youghiogheny River along with other forest areas. Unfortunately, it’s been a dry end-of-summer and only the highest of the four — Muddy Falls at 53 feet — was rushing in a spectacular fashion over the rocks. We wrestled with inadequate signage and maps to visit three of the four falls, and once we’d figured out how it all fit together, helped guide other hikers we met along the trails. Impressive boulders fill the various streams. The park was once a legendary pioneer hunting area and the virgin hemlock and white pine forests that we walked through to find the falls were magical.
Swallow Falls is easily identifiable by Swallow Rock, a marvelously weathered pillar standing adjacent to the falls. We bypassed Lower Falls, warned away by fellow hikers but did make the trek to Tolliver Falls, barely a ripple over rocks in this season.
The Hogan administration has proposed rules that would prohibit the gas-drilling technique known as fracking within 2,000 feet of a private drinking water well, require steel casings around gas bores to a depth of 100 feet, and require energy companies to replace any water supply that is contaminated by the practice.
The Maryland Department of the Environment submitted the measures Monday to a legislative committee that reviews regulations, a year before a state ban on fracking ends.
The plan was unveiled five days ahead of the Oct. 1 deadline set by lawmakers for the rules to be formally adopted. Department of the Environment officials now expect the approval process to finish by the end of the year instead.
Secretary Ben Grumbles said the rules “will be the most stringent and protective environmental shale regulations in the country.”
The Appalachian Regional Commission has approved a $500,000 grant to the Garrett County Commission for water infrastructure at Keyser’s Ridge Business Park.Commissioners requested funding to construct the plant and associated infrastructure that will serve the business park and surrounding community. The plant will be constructed on Puzzley Run.
The project will leverage private investment, create jobs, improve the local community and provide 14 businesses and 22 households with improved access to water infrastructure, officials said. Construction of the plant will lessen the burden being placed on the existing Grantsville water treatment plant, which is operating with a negative production capacity.
In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $800,000, bringing the total project funding to $1.3 million.
