Thrive Allen County interim CEO Bill Maness appeared before Allen County commissioners Monday morning to ask once more for the $50,000 required for the creation of VISIT Allen, an initiative designed to increase tourism in the county. If the commission agrees to the funding, said Maness, Thrive will contribute an additional $25,000 of its own.
The commission was first introduced to the subject last summer. In September, the group at the urging of former commissioner John Brocker hosted a public forum to discuss the matter. But on Monday, the commission asked for another week to contemplate the merits of the program.
[Allen County] has so far not been very successful at promoting itself, said Maness. Thrive, though, has an established outreach and an ability to market and produce materials that are of professional quality. So wed like to prove ourselves with a one-year pilot program.
