January 11, 2017 – Lewis Real Estate and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) announced plans for the relocation of the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) to the Asheville Office Park at College Street and Town Mountain Road. Previously the home to Shaw University and located adjacent to the soon-to-be built Element Hotel, the two-story building at 31 College Place will be gutted and re-designed over the next six months to create inviting, open space that reflects the region’s destination brand. ACVB will become the anchor tenant and a significant part of the ongoing revitalization of the eastern gateway to the central business district. “The building will be a centerpiece...

October 26, 2016 — The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) awarded five community projects $3,930,000 in funding today from the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF). The funds, generated from a portion of the room tax revenues paid by overnight visitors in Buncombe County lodging accommodations, will go toward three theater projects, a WNC Farmers Market revitalization project and additional features at Montreat College’s Pulliam Stadium. “The collection of projects funded in this TPDF cycle holds significant community value while also being supported by the industry,” said BCTDA Chair Paula Wilber, vice president of sales at Biltmore. “Together they will elevate the arts experience,...

September 28, 2016 — The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) voted today to provide $50,500 in grants to support 14 community festivals and events. Utilizing discretionary advertising revenue from the ExploreAsheville.com website, BCTDA developed a Festivals and Cultural Events Support Fund in early 2016. The new grant program is a mechanism to foster festivals and cultural events that serve Buncombe County residents as well as visitors to the area. The primary purposes of this fund are: • To support and preserve cultural identity within Buncombe County • To stimulate the creation of new or expansion of existing tourism Events • To help events grow With the redesign of the...