SB927 establishes the Virginia Sports Tourism Grant Program, administered by the Virginia Tourism Authority. The program provides grants to local entities—such as sports commissions, convention and visitors bureaus, and municipal departments—to develop and attract sports-tourism activities across the state. The goal is to boost economic development by increasing sports-related travel and events in Virginia. The bill requires the Tourism Authority to set guidelines for awarding grants and to report annually on the program's outcomes.
The Virginia State House of Delegates passed SB927 on February 13, 2025 by a vote of 90 to 7. We have assigned pluses to the nays because it expands the role of government into areas best left to the private sector by using taxpayer dollars to fund sports-tourism projects through grants. This is a clear example of corporate welfare that picks winners and losers, favoring politically connected industries or localities at the expense of others. Government should not be in the business of subsidizing tourism or entertainment ventures, as doing so distorts the free market and misuses public funds.
