Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 28, 1991                   TAG: 9102280133
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: C6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY BUSINESS EDITOR
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WELCOME CENTERS TO RELY ON FUND MIX FOR NEW LEASE ON LIFE

On July 1, travel attractions will be charged to distribute their brochures.

Under a plan still being worked out, funds from vending machines of the Virginia Department of Transportation, general funds and rack fees will be combined to pay for the centers' operations, said Martha Steger, promotions director of the state Division of Tourism.

This mix will enable the tourist attractions "to pay some, but not all of the cost" of the centers. The plan would mean "a nominal fee" for the attractions, she said.

During budget cuts last fall, Gov. Douglas Wilder endorsed a plan to convert the centers to private operation. Several companies expressed interest, Steger said Wednesday, but they withdrew when they learned that federal laws prohibit sales of products along interstate highways. Nine of the 10 welcome centers are beside interstates. The 10th is on U.S. 13 on the Eastern Shore.

As soon as Wilder signs the state's budget agreement, she said, a letter will be sent to the travel attractions explaining the amount they will be assessed per brochure. Some attractions may decide they need to place brochures only in one area of the state, she said.

The centers will continue to operate with two employees each, half the pre-budget-cut staffing. The staffs will provide information to travelers but their marketing work will be limited, Steger said. "They won't have time for a marketing pitch," she said.