On October 11, 2006, Destination Cleveland County incorporates as a North Carolina 501 (c)(3) non-profit Corporation.
DESTINATION CLEVELAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Martha (Brownie) Plaster, Chairman
Adelaide Craver, Vice Chairman
Shannon Kennedy
Leon Leonhardt
Millie Arey Wood
Sherry Grenier
Robin Hendrick
J.T. Scruggs
Michael Poage
Dino Nicopoulos
Ex-officio Board Members with voting rights but cannot hold office:
David Dear, County Manager
Rick Howell, City Manager
Jackie Sibley, Cleveland County Chamber Travel and Tourism Director
Marta Holden, Executive Director of DCC
DCC Works On Their Goals For Earl Scruggs Museum And Don Gibson Theatre
The County Commissioners have allowed DCC access to the artifacts that belong to the Cleveland County Historical Museum that are still located in the courthouse. DCC’s museum project co-chairs, Millie Arey Wood and Sherry Grenier begin sorting through and cataloging the Cleveland County Historical Museum’s artifacts, with help from community volunteers, Mickey Crowell Director of the Kings Mountain Historical Museum, and later a couple of ladies hired from the Biltmore House.
By the beginning of 2007, The Earl Scruggs Music Heritage Museum is being called by another name. At the February 5, 2007 Cleveland County Commissioners meeting minutes Destination Cleveland County representatives J.T. Scruggs, Millie Arey Wood and Sherry Grenier were talking of plans for The Front Porch-Songs and Stories of the Carolinas-The Old Courthouse.
Destination Cleveland County spends year 2007 researching, seeking advice, and traveling to other areas to visit museums and theaters. They solicit Gardner-Webb University School of Business to conduct a survey on which they project the potential economic impact on the county from their Earl Scruggs museum and Don Gibson theater projects.
The Broyhill School of Management Gardner-Webb University 10 year impact study of these two projects for the Cleveland County economy is an additional $204,906,879.26 for the Cleveland County Economy. The study says the operation of these two facilities will create an annual impact of approximately $14,800,000 and 203 jobs in the first year growing to $25 million and 343 jobs in the tenth year.
At their June 18, 2007 meeting The City Council adopted The Center City Master Plan. In their update at the meeting, DCC Chairwoman Brownie Plaster refers to the Earl Scruggs museum by a third new name- The Earl Scruggs Center-Songs and Stories of the Carolina Foothills.