State officials made the journey to Lewisburg with $50,000 to improve tourism infrastructure here.

Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Kevin Triplett and Jody Sliger, director of the ThreeStar program for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development presented the city of Lewisburg with a $50,000 check for improvements to the stage in Rock Creek Park.

The funds are part of a grant program authorized by the state’s Rural Economic Opportunity Act, a partnership between various state offices.

“It’s a thrill to be a part of this,” said Triplett, “We have marketing funds for tourism but we don’t have the brick and mortar grants.”

That’s where the partnership with ECD, who did have programs for facilities, entered the picture.

Triplett described the grants as “collaborative efforts for cumulative impact,” seeking to boost local rural economies through tourism development.

“A strong economy thrives with a good tourism base,” he said.

The program has received 111 applications for grants from the program, of which 58 separate projects have been funded.

Improvements the to stage at Rock Creek Park will expand the city’s ability to attract musical groups to the Goats, Music & More Festival, some of whom have had to skip the show because the stage would not accommodate their stage shows.

Putting the funds into county and city governments was important to the state said Triplett.

“You have the places, you have the ideas, and you do the work to make them successful,” he said.