Bedford County, Lynchburg partnering to host pro disc golf event in 2025 (2024)

Tourism departments in Bedford County and the City of Lynchburg are partnering to host the 2025 Professional Disc Golf Association Pro/Am Tour Stop.

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the county’s partnership with the stipulation the county’s share of $15,000 not be appropriated until after the event’s naming. The board wants to make sure Lynchburg isn’t spotlighted over Bedford in the naming since the marketing cost of $30,000 is evenly split and the county is a host site.

Nicole Johnson, director of the Bedford County Department of Tourism, said a partnership with the Lynchburg Office of Economic Development & Tourism would ensure marketing visibility for both localities.

“This event would replace a current stop already on the tour due to those courses not being maintained, so they would be moving from Waco, Texas, to Bedford County,” Johnson said. “In the first year there would be approximately 600 athletes … 90% of those athletes and spectators would be coming from more than 60 miles away, therefore increasing the likelihood of overnight stays.”

The majority of athletes, 97%, are 18 and older, according to Johnson. The estimated number of spectators are 5,000 or more, she said.

The event will have the opportunity to grow and use multiple disc golf courses in Bedford County and Lynchburg with the Ivy Hill Golf Course in Forest and the New London industrial park’s course being the two main ones.

“The event will attract additional media attention to the region,” Johnson said.

According to Johnson, the estimated economic impact of the event could total $1.4 million in direct spending to both the county and city with $1.3 million coming from attendee spending. Lodging is expected to draw close to $405,900; transportation, nearly $53,000; close to $342,000 for food and beverage; just more than $387,000 in retail; and about $162,500 in recreation.

Johnson said the event also will bring social benefits to the area.

“Hosting events like this can be a source of pride for the community and sporting events not only attract visitors but they positively influence the quality of life for residents,” Johnson said. “Sometimes they even help attract new businesses to the area.”

The Bedford County Economic Development Authority’s board voted May 2 to approve the New London disc golf course for the tournament pending legal review of the agreement and insurance liability, according to Johnson’s report to the board of supervisors.

The $15,000 supplemental appropriation would come from the county’s transient occupancy tax reserve fund, Johnson said.

Chris Higgins, Bedford County’s director of parks and recreation, spoke highly of New London’s “very famous course” at Monday’s board meeting. He said the plan next year is to add several holes to the course so it can work around potential development at the business park on U.S. 460.

Bedford County has heavily marketed itself as a disc golf destination in recent years and has been working with Lynchburg to capitalize on the variety of disc golf courses offered between the two localities.

Bedford County saw a boom in disc golf during the earliest pandemic years, county staff have said in previous interviews.

In other news during Monday’s meeting, the board approved $28,817 appropriated to Bedford County Public Schools’ maintenance fund. The money was left over from the schools’ operating fund in the fiscal year 2022-23 budget that ended last summer. The board also approved a supplemental appropriation of $1.2 million to the Bedford County School Board in grant awards, state and federal funding in excess of the division’s current budget.

Supervisors also unanimously voted to amend a resolution approved at a meeting last month authorizing school bonds not to exceed $28.6 million for auditorium and canopy upgrades at Liberty and Staunton River high schools and a new gym at Bedford Primary School.

The added language states any formal written recommendations adopted by the supervisors’ public work committee shall be taken into account by the county in making any draw-down requests for bond proceeds. Should the school board wish to expend monies for any particular portion of the project in excess of the amounts recommended by that committee such excess funds shall be drawn from local dollars, the amendment says.