Now that former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has left office, regional tourism officials are hopeful they’ll get $1.2 million in funding they’ve been promised in the current fiscal year, which began more than six months ago.

But they know better than to hold their breath.

“We always take the attitude ‘We’ll believe it when we see it,’ but we were told the checks would be forthcoming,” said Jeff Muthersbaugh, chairman of the Central Regional Tourism District. “We filled out all the necessary paperwork and they told us it was approved, but they haven’t released the money. They (state Department of Economic and Community Development officials) keep changing their excuses.”

Muthersbaugh’s district is one of three, each of which expects to receive $400,000.

The DECD plans to discuss the appropriations with Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration “in the coming weeks,” according to Jim Watson, a spokesman for the department.

Muthersbaugh thinks Malloy’s aversion to regional tourism has had something to do with the holdup.

“The reality is that Gov. Malloy never liked the districts, though the legislature did,” Muthersbaugh said. “Over time, he did everything he could to defund them.”

The districts, established by state statute more than a decade ago, haven’t gotten a dime from the state since 2016. Facing budget deficits, the state Office of Policy and Managment eliminated funding for the districts in fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2018. At the same time, funding for statewide tourism promotion was significantly reduced.

A bill proposed last year would have eliminated the districts altogether. Passed unanimously by the legislature's Commerce Committee, the measure went no further.

“He wasn’t a fan of the districts,” Ed Dombroskas, executive director of the Eastern Regional Tourism District, said of Malloy. “And the best way to kill any organization is to choke off its funding. He did it for two years. Maybe he figured ‘a little longer and the districts will die.’ But they haven’t.”

Dombroskas said eastern district staff, himself included, have continued to work on a voluntary basis, providing limited promotional services. He said the promised state funding, if received soon, would enable the district to launch a social media campaign for the spring-summer tourism season, distribute publications and arrange online advertising for local businesses and attractions.

“We could be looking for ways to get the Welcome Centers up and running,” he said, referring to the highway visitor stops that have been partially closed since 2016, including one on Interstate 95 in North Stonington.

State Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, introduced a bill this week that would require DECD to develop a plan to staff the Welcome Centers with volunteers and to reopen the centers by July 1.

In addition to chairing the central tourism district, Muthersbaugh is president of the Connecticut Lodging Association and co-owner of the Nehemiah Brainerd House, an inn in Haddam. He said his district, too, is ready to begin marketing efforts as soon as it receives the state funding. His district has arranged for the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce to provide it with administrative support.

“We need to spend on tourism and the money’s just sitting there,” he said. “It’s very frustrating when you consider all the small businesses that rely on us.”

b.hallenbeck@theday.com