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Source: The News & Advance, Lynchburg, Va.迷你倉Dec. 12--Lynchburg's tourism board gathered for its last meeting Wednesday as the current program enters its final days.The city is launching an internal tourism department Jan. 1, ending a long-term management agreement with the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce."We are going to close this chapter on a positive note," said Greg Starbuck, board chairman, as the group gathered at Crown Sterling for a meeting and farewell lunch.Starbuck, who also is director of the Historic Sandusky Foundation, said the tourism staff had done outstanding work and brought a "tremendous surge" of activity to Lynchburg's destination points."That is, frankly, what we need to survive, and it's just been amazing," he said. "... You all put in unbelievable hours doing whatever it takes to get the job done. That is something I'm especially proud of and, I believe, was the reason for our success."The tourism program, which long has been managed by the chamber, has won 23 awards over the past five years; sold more than $2 million worth of hotel rooms per year for conferences and events; and landed a contract to bring the Virginia High School Coaches Association's All-Star games back to Lynchburg starting next year.The decision to take the program in-house follows years of reoccurring tensions between tourism and city officials. Negotiations to renew the management contract this year failed amid disagreements over financial terms and other commitments.City Manager Kimball Payne said it's his intent to make the transition as smooth as possible, and ensure there is no disruption in service.All current tourism staffers have been offered jobs with the city at their current rate of pay. Tourism director Beckie Nix declined to say what her plans were Wednesday. Staff members have until next week to make their decision.The tourism board, a volunteer oversight body, will be reestablished under the new structure. Current members have been invited to reapply, but several said Wednesday they had not had ti文件倉e to make a decision.The farewell lunch was emotional at times as people talked about the criticism the program has faced and the "hits" it's taken from detractors in the city government.Nix teared up as she thanked the board and the chamber for their support of the program and her staff."This is the relationship that is going to be lost," she said of the end of the chamber-run program. "You created an environment in which these extremely talented professionals were able to thrive. I don't know if that can ever be replicated."Tulane Patterson, chair of the chamber's board, said the chamber was sorry to lose the program. Thanks to the efforts of the current staff, he said, Lynchburg has been written about and promoted around the world."For me, a local boy, to hear about people in Ireland talking about our city and coming to our city, that made me proud to be part of Lynchburg and of the chamber," he said. "It's sad this day has come. I can only hope somebody can salvage it. But nobody can do a better job then what you've done."Lynn Fairchild Martin, vice chair of the tourism board, said she was sickened by how the tourism staff and chamber president Rex Hammond had been treated by city officials."I think the entire city is going to miss what you have contributed," she said. "... These are the best people you could meet. They're such a fantastic team. I think a real injustice has been done here."At the end of the meeting, Patterson presented each tourism board member with a plaque to thank them for their service.Starbuck said despite the daunting series of events that led up to the program's end, he will remember the positive moments when he looks at the plaque."I will mostly remember the good, and just this incredible window of opportunity and the staff that saw and it used to it build an incredible program," he said. "That's what I'll remember."Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The News & Advance (Lynchburg, Va.) Visit The News & Advance (Lynchburg, Va.) at .newsadvance.com Distributed by MCT Information Services存倉