Flickr user Robert V.
Nearly there? Or miles away?
Update April 18: We're in the final tailspin to the tournament and, yes, no news on a sponsor.
That said, Heritage organizers thought they may have had an interim big player that could have sponsored next year, but it slipped away.
The Island Packet caught up on with organizers on the final preparations and how having no title sponsor is affecting things; read their report here.
And don't forget about our news-you-can-use rundown on the tournament, tickets, maps, hashtags and more over here.
Updated April 15: Bill Herbkersman, the statehouse representative for Bluffton, has amended an earlier bill that he proposed to the house in an attempt to keep the heritage around for good.
If passed, it would allow the state to use over $3 million dollars in accommodation taxes until a sponsor is found--a wise move, he says, because according to a recent study by Clemson University, the tournaments net-profit for the state tops $8.5 million.
Check out the article here.
Updated April 12: Remember that additional $1 million Beaufort County was to give the Heritage? Well not so fast my friend.
The county's vote on the $1 million was pulled off the table on Monday, and depending on whom you ask you'll get a different reason.
County Council Chairman Weston Netwon told WSAV that the vote was postponed in order to send a message to private sponsors and other potential public sponsors. Councilman Paul Sommerville on the oter hand told the Island Packet that the votes just weren't there and that a Monday vote would have gone "down in flames."
Updated April 11: The never-ending saga that is the Heritage golf tournament was given an unexpected boost today.
According to a report in the Island Packet, the PGA Tour would consider allowing a mix of state, local, and private to fund next year's golf tournament if the title sponsor can't be found.
The task of convincing Governor Haley, however, of allowing the state to contribute money to the event might be a more daunting one--the current Governor has been opposed to the idea since before taking office.
Check out the Packet's coverage here.
We decided to go digging around a little too, and we found this clip of Haley arguing against such an idea while she was a statehouse representative. Be sure to give it a watch.
Updated March 30: Hilton Head Island Town Manager, Steve Riley, spoke to The Island Packet yesterday and said that the extra $1 million approved by County Council may have been pointless unless a title sponsor emerges in the near future.
Check out the Packet's article here.
Updated March 29: The Beaufort County Council on Monday voted to give the Heritrage another $1 million, upping its support of the tournament to a cool $2 million.
Head on over to the Packet for coverage of last night's vote.
Perhaps more entertaining than the story is the reader comment section.
Updated March 22: A $30 million plan has been floated to, well, float the Heritage.
Did we mention that all but $3 million of the $30 million is coming from public coffers, including the county, town of Hilton Head and several state agencies?
Check out The Island Packet for an update on this plan to keep the Heritage afloat.
As an aside, Gov. Nikki Haley was on Hilton Head last night and told WSAV, in no uncertain terms, that the Heritage should be paid for by a private sponsor and not public dollars. You can check out that Haley video below.
Updated March 15: It appears Detroit is angling to move in on taking the spot on the PGA calendar now occupied by the Heritage.
The Island Packet has a report via The Detroit Free Press that Cadillac is looking at a 2012 date for a tour stop that it will sponsor.
This isn't good news for the Heritage. Take a look at the report here.
Updated March 6: As many know, the Beaufort County School District declares a little holiday around Heritage time, letting kids and teachers volunteer at the tournament, or at least avoid the traffic.
But with 2012's tournament a bit in doubt the district has decided not to include any Heritage-related days off as part of next year's calendar.
That of course can be changed if the need arises, we're sure. Check out The Island Packet's report that surely will upset even the brainiest of students.
Updated March 2: Bluffton Today has an update from its Columbia reporter on a bill pitched by state Rep. Bill Herbkersman aimed at addressing uncertainty regarding the Heritage's future.
Thing is the bill doesn't really contain anything. No detail. No nothing. It's just there in case the legislature chooses to act on something in the future.
Give the Bluffton Today story a read here.
Reported March 1: While the 2011 installment of the The Heritage golf tournament on Hilton Head will go ahead without a title sponsor thanks to local government funding, organizers of the PGA Tour say that the clock is running out for finding a sponsor in 2012.
Organizers have refrained from stating a formal deadline for finding funding, but from the sounds of the recent press conference — it's nearly do or die time.
The Island Packet has a nice report you can read here and WSAV 3 has a nice video report you can watch here.
Also of interest out of Monday's media day is who received the sponsor expemptions. You can check out that list here via The Island Packet.
