Journal Staff Report

One hundred thousand dollars in funding and assistance has been awarded for tourism promotion in Southwest Colorado to offset the damage done to the area’s image by two major wildfires that struck Mesa Verde National Park recently.

According to a press release sent from the governor’s office late Friday, the assistance includes $5,000 worth of public-relations services dedicated from the state’s tourism budget and a $25,000 grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development’s marketing funds, which are provided by the Economic Development Commission.

In addition, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs is providing a $70,000 grant from Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance funds.

To date, an estimated 23,000 acres within the 52,122-acre park suffered damage because of fire.

According to the city of Cortez, Montezuma County and the Montezuma County Economic Development Council, since the closure of the park, motel and lodging occupancy is down 80 percent.