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Link Rita McClenny
Link Rita McClenny

Richmond’s foodie culture and blossoming restaurant scene will get a boost from new matching state grants for tourism marketing.

So will an impending celebration of the 40th anniversaries of the Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion theme parks.

The two tourism projects are among 51 that will receive $773,000 in state grants that local partners will match 2-to-1.

“Today, we’re talking about unleashing $3 million across the commonwealth for tourism marketing initiatives,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice A. Jones.

A dozen legislators from both parties celebrated the grants at a kickoff announcement Wednesday at the General Assembly Building.

The grants range from marketing Southwest Virginia through the movie “Big Stone Gap” to promoting the East Coast Surfing Championships in Virginia Beach. The state also awarded grants for marketing the Virginia Capital Trail, Charles City County tourism, and Route 5 tourist destinations.    Read the entire article.