Sumter County annually invests $60,000 toward nightly entertainment at Lake Sumter Landing Market Square and Brownwood Paddock Square.
And with The Villages in high season, it’s evident the investment continues to pay off, said Sumter County Administrator Bradley Arnold.
The money for nightly entertainment comes from tourism tax dollars raised primarily from hotels in the county.
“The Villages is a major tourist destination and a gateway to other attractions and venues countywide.The Villages is a good partner with the county and this partnership continues to flourish,” according to county documents detailing the arrangement.
The current contract for tourism dollars for nightly entertainment on the square between the county and The Villages runs through Sept. 30, 2014. The Villages provides a matching amount.
“While some of the attendees at the nightly entertainment are local residents, many are visitors to Sumter County seeking to sample ‘The Villages Lifestyle.’ The Villages reports that approximately 10,000 visitors stayed an average of five nights in The Villages last year as part of just one program ‘The Villages Lifestyle Preview Plan.’ The tourism tax receipts from those visits alone is evidence of the effectiveness of the nightly entertainment and other Villages programs in attracting people to visit Sumter County,” according to grant application documents originally filed in 2011.
Documents also predict that attendance in both of these venues will continue to grow.
The Villages offers entertainment from 5 to 9 p.m. daily at both Lake Sumter Landing Market Square and Brownwood Paddock Square.
