So right now at this moment apparently, the head of the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation, Gloria Ray, is giving a presentation to the the Knox County Commission about how awesome it is and how much she deserves her $400,000+ salary -- this following a lunch where much the same thing happened. We weren't (and aren't) at either event, because we had more pressing deadlines, but a source tipped us off that Matt Morelock had a lot to say following lunch, so we gave him a call.
Morelock was more than happy to talk to us. He said he first wanted to make clear that if the numbers KTSC presented at the luncheon showing a dramatic increase in Knoxville tourism are correct, he's really excited.
"But how the heck can KTSC take all the credit for that?" he asked. "They do not deserve all the money they receive. ... They are out of touch with what happens in Knoxville. ... You can tell all you need to about them by looking at the KTSC visitor parking lot--there's twice as much reserved parking for employees as for actual visitors."
Morelock said Ray's salary "speaks to an arrogance inherent in their organization," and he says he told Commission that the motel and hotel tax revenue that goes to the KTSC would be better spent elsewhere. He took umbrage with KTSC's suggestion that they serve a similar purpose to the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. "The Knoxville Chamber, in my opinion, is a way more effective organization and way more in touch with what's actually happening in Knoxville," Morelock said.
Morelock suggested that KTSC's monies would be better spent on making the thing that make Knoxville great even better -- parks, historic preservation, subsidies for music events, arts and culture promotion, and grants to make downtown more affordable for artists. "I don't want any of it. I'm doing fine," Morelock noted. He encouraged citizens to contact their Council and Commission members "to question the unchecked way the monies are being distributed."
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