GREUEL: MARKET AREA TO TOURISTS.Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer Reviving the issue of respect for the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel Wendy Greuel is President Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 2nd District. Greuel was elected in 2002 to fill the remainder of the term of Councilman Joel Wachs. She was elected in her own right in 2003 and reelected in 2007. called Wednesday for increased efforts to market the area as a tourist destination A tourist destination is a city, town or other area the economy of which is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions or visitor attractions and possibly some "tourist traps". . ``A lot of the information that is out there stops with what is on Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. ,'' Councilwoman Wendy Greuel said. ``There are things in the Valley that people from throughout the world should see, and we are developing cultural centers that will be a draw.'' Greuel, whose district is in the Mid Valley, introduced a proposal asking L.A. Inc. and the Visitors and Convention Bureau to develop a plan on how the Valley can be better marketed. ``We can take advantage of the entertainment industry, but we also have museums, historical sites, shopping, recreation areas and a lot of other things going on that people should know about.'' Officials with L.A. Inc. have said they are working to promote the entire region and would meet with Greuel to discuss specifics of her proposal. In connection with her suggestion, Greuel is also asking the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Association of Governments to create special subregion sub·re·gion n. A subdivision of a region, especially an ecological region. sub  re in the city for the Valley, using new statistical data from the Bureau of Census Bureau of CensusA division of the federal government of the United States Bureau of Commerce that is responsible for conducting the national census at least once every 10 years, in which the population of the United States is counted. . Greuel said data from the area - which includes some 1.8 million residents - can be used to help in getting more federal funds Federal Funds Funds deposited to regional Federal Reserve Banks by commercial banks, including funds in excess of reserve requirements. Notes: These non-interest bearing deposits are lent out at the Fed funds rate to other banks unable to meet overnight reserve as well as serving as a tool for providing services to charitable groups. ``We have been hearing for years the Valley doesn't get its fair share. This is a way to find out what we are getting and take some steps to correct it.'' Greuel's plan for marketing the Valley as a tourist destination calls for using money from the hotel bed tax - the same source used for L.A. Inc. The complaint over the lack of marketing of the Valley goes back decades and is an issue that has never been resolved to anyone's satisfaction, said Bob Scott, the founding chairman of the Valley Economic Alliance and vice president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association. ``We don't have a set amount of money in mind, but we do think the time is ripe for action. A lot of the hard feelings from the secession fight are over and we think downtown is starting to listen to the Valley again. ``Valley issues are getting a second look and we think we have a case to be made that selling the Valley as a tourist destination will help sell the city as a whole.'' The value of tourism, Greuel said, is that it provides an infusion of money into the local economy and creates jobs. ``Jobs are the key,'' Greuel said. ``Everything we do is directed toward putting more people to work in high-paying jobs.'' Rick Orlov, (213) 978-0390 rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com |
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