Supporters Want A Tax Increase For Hotels in Winnebago County
By: Vi Nguyen
Updated: October 16, 2012
October 15, 2012 (WINNEBAGO) -- Hotels in Winnebago County could soon face a 2% tax increase.
Lawmakers said, revenues from the hike would help to fund a $40 million dollar project called "Reclaiming First".
"That funding would be used to pay the debt service for the "Reclaiming First" iniatives. That's the upgrades to Sportscore Two and Sportscore One and the downtown Ingersoll multi-sports project," said Groh.
John Grogh is the President and CEO of the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. He said, he full supports the project.
"Significantly increase our ability to serve local residents and capture additional visitors dollars that will be spent in our community by people coming here for sports tournaments," said Groh.
Senator Dave Syverson has push for the hotel tax since day one.
The senator believes that by expanding our sporting facilities it will help to draw major sporting events and tournaments to Rockford-- as well as bring in thousands of visitors to the area.
"They're filling up our hotels. They're eating at our restaurants. They're buying our gas and they're spending a lot of revenue. These aren't day visits. These are multiple day visits," said Sen. Syverson.
The Senator said, the hotel tax would put the burden on visitors staying at our local hotels during these tournaments and it would not have an affect on local tax payers.
"By using a hotel tax it will be bore by other people. It's probably the fairest way to raise the revenue needed to expand these facilities," said Sen. Syverson.
Attemps to pass the legislation earlier this year failed, but state lawmakers will get another chance to pass the hotel tax in November at the fall veto session.
