I recently alongside our Director of Economic Development and Tourism Lucy Redzeposki announced $298,650 in grants to 31 organizations promoting tourism in Rockland Friday, the highest amount ever. The county-funded grants are competitive and utilized to promote events in Rockland outside of the county. Every dollar awarded comes with performance expectations attached.

When I was first elected to be your County Executive, we were the most fiscally stressed County in all of New York with a $138-million deficit. We needed every lifeline imaginable to help Rockland rebound and tourism played a crucial role in that recovery.

Tourism has endless benefits; it creates jobs, strengthens economies, and contributes to infrastructure development.

According to the most recent Tourism Economic Study from New York State, in 2022, tourism generated:

6,532 jobs in Rockland County, a 7.6% increase over 2021.
$513 million in visitor spending, a 104.7% increase to 2019 and 18% increase vs. 2021.
$1.4 million in Occupancy Tax revenue, a 26% increase over 2021.

When visitors explore our downtowns, eat at our restaurants, or shop in our stores, they are not just fueling our economy, they are stabilizing taxes for our residents.

Without tourism generated sales and local taxes, the average household in Rockland would have to pay an additional $581 in yearly taxes to maintain current services. That is a lot of money saved thanks to the efforts of our Economic Development and Tourism Office creating programs like the grants we are announcing here today.

These funds are going to organizations that bring arts, music, theater, sports, and culture into Rockland, enriching our county and economy simultaneously.

When this grant program first began in 2016, we were only able to award about $100,000.

Thanks to the efforts of Lucy Redzeposki, our Director of Economic Development and Tourism and the dedicated staff in the Department, this year we are distributing over $298,000 in tourism grants – more than ever before – to 31 organizations.

We have every confidence that the organizations receiving this funding will use it to bring visitors here to see all that Rockland has to offer.

And I know that once those tourists get a taste of our music, theater, art, riverfronts, and downtowns, they’ll keep coming back.


Congratulations to the organizations who have won these awards! We know you will do us proud with your efforts and I look forward to attending so many of these wonderful events.

This is a weekly column by Rockland County Executive Ed Day.