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State Parks In Red
05/09/08 MRC/AP
Kentucky's state park
system, which includes 17 resorts, has been a money loser
despite hundreds of millions of dollars in recent
investments, according to Auditor Crit Luallen.
Since 2000, state parks
have seen a steady drop in their occupancy rate, and a
corresponding increase in operating loss, according to the
audit report released Wednesday. For the fiscal year
ending next month, Kentucky's parks system will have lost
more than $30 million.
Kentucky, since 1994, has
spent more than $316 million on improvements and
renovations at various state parks, according to the
audit. That includes renovations at existing lodges and
building or improving golf courses throughout the state.
There are 52 state parks,
including 17 that have resorts and are intended to
generate revenue.
The system has received
an average of $28.6 million in state funding since 2000.
The agency asked for an extra $5 million appropriation to
make it through the current fiscal year.
Between 1994 to 2008, the
state spent nearly $55 million on golf-related projects.
Still, the number of golf rounds played at Kentucky's
public courses has dropped steadily, and golf activity
lost about $700,000 during the current fiscal year.
For starters, Luallen
said, the state needs to spend more money marketing its
parks system. This year, the state has allocated $480,000
for marketing in the current year.
Kentucky Commerce
Secretary Marcheta Sparrow said the state will have to
work within its existing budget to handle marketing. But
the report is something that the cabinet will use to
improve.
The parks lost about $29
million in 2004 and were expected to lose a total of about
$33 million in the fiscal year that ends June 30th.
Sparrow said the parks
system is not intended to be a moneymaker, but it's also
not intended to lose as much money as it has been. Parks
officials are looking at options to cut losses, and may
look at reducing schedules or realigning services, Sparrow
said.
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