Tourism Development Authority backs Flat Rock Playhouse

Call me cynical or maybe just highly suspicious, but here's a scenario I can see happening:

• The accommodation tax increase issue is still out there. All the county commissioners did in August was delay any action on it for six months, that is, until February.
• Come February, the commissioners may vote to raise the tax (just because they can since the legislation is already in place--and tax legislation is a terrible thing to waste, dontcha' know) and direct the monies to the Tourism Development Authority (as has already been suggested).
• The Tourism Development Authority then directs the money, through programs such as this one, back to the Flat Rock Playhouse.
• And so the Playhouse gets its "guaranteed source of income," the lodging industry takes the hit to benefit primarily one business, and we can all pretend it's just a tax on "tourists" so it doesn't really affect Henderson County residents (even though it really, really does). 

Someone please prove me wrong.

From the Times-News:

Joining a growing chorus of local officials voicing confidence in the Flat Rock Playhouse, the county’s Tourism Development Authority agreed Tuesday to purchase $25,000 worth of 2013 season tickets for use as incentives to put “heads in beds” at local hotels, cottages and bed-and-breakfasts.

The authority voted 7-0 to make an upfront purchase of 715 tickets, with the possibility of purchasing $25,000 more next year if the program is successful. Under the program, guests who stay a minimum of two nights at local accommodations will earn one free Playhouse ticket, or two tickets for a four-night stay.

For the Playhouse, the program will provide a much-needed infusion of cash, authority members said, while helping local accommodations draw more tourists and keep them around longer.

“This is a guarantee of so many ticket sales that are in their budget,” said Chairman David Nicholson. “They’ll know that they’re going to sell that many tickets in advance, and that’s a plus for them.”...

Tourism board members spent nearly half an hour debating the logistics of how the tickets should be distributed to accommodations and redeemed by lodgers, but ultimately decided to leave those details for Travel & Tourism Director Beth Carden, a tourism committee and Playhouse leaders to work out. “The key is to make it as simple for us and the Playhouse as possible,” Carden said....

Read it all.