No one spoke at a public hearing on the matter.
Commissioner Patrick Qualls cast the dissenting vote on the proposal.
The visitors center hosts the Roanoke Valley of Chamber of Commerce, the Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as the county economic development commission.
Under plans discussed earlier this year tourism plans to front the $5,000, 90-day option price for the land, which is on the Premier Boulevard side of the visitors center. The total purchase price is $275,000.
The chamber owns the visitors center and the debt service is shared between the chamber, tourism and the county,
Chamber President and CEO Allen Purser said after discussion of the matter the expansion is a long-term project. There are no immediate plans to move forward. "We're just ensuring the million dollar investment will have a chance to grow in the future."
Qualls said this afternoon there were several factors leading him to vote against the proposal. “We just raised taxes 5 cents for a school we’re mandated to build. I didn’t feel right to potentially spend that money on a building that at face value seems to be adequate currently.”
He also said if the county is going to buy additional land for an expansion of the facility, “Then we need a forecast of the entire expansion and its cost and not make piecemeal decisions. I don’t know where the money is coming from for the expansion. To my knowledge there has not been an appraisal on what the land is worth.”

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Meanwhile, the board honored Finance Director Mary Duncan and her staff for receiving the Achievement of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
The award reflects the work done on the county’s comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30 of last year.
Commissioner Marcelle Smith presented the award.
The board also honored former Halifax Regional CEO Rick Gilstrap, who is moving to Winston-Salem so he and his wife, Joan, can spend more time with grandchildren. Honors were bestowed upon Gilstrap by the commissioners, the county economic development commission and state Representative Michael Wray, who presented Gilstrap with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Steve Keen of the governor’s office was also present for the award.