With millions of dollars from the city’s hotel tax expected soon to be available for use by the local music industry, the Music Commission is forming a task force to advise City Council on the best way to use those funds. At last week’s meeting, the commission voted unanimously to create an 11-member task force, […]
Hotel Occupancy Tax
A tax on the rental of a room in a hotel or other rental properties (including apartments) that cost 6 percent of the cost of a room.
Posted inCity Council
Council approves $3M annually from hotel tax for musicians, venues
For the first time, Austin’s city government will provide direct annual funding to the local commercial music industry, including venues and performing musicians. On Thursday, City Council unanimously approved an ordinance and amendments to city code covering the allocation of the city’s portion of Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue, specifically funding for historic preservation projects and […]
Posted inAustin
Eyeing hotel tax dollars, Music Commission signs on to support convention center
With City Council set to consider two items on Thursday related to the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center, the Austin Music Commission voted last week to support the plan, which is projected to cost more than $1 billion from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax funds. At the 7-2 vote, commission members Jonathan “Chaka” […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Should hotel taxes and festival fees contribute to public safety coffers?
Austin’s festivals are most certainly a tourist attraction. But does that mean the public safety costs associated with those events should be financed through money earmarked for arts and tourism? With Council’s vote to raise the Hotel Occupancy Tax by 2 cents on Aug. 8, this question returned for debate at the Public Safety Commission […]
Posted inElections
Travis County asks voters to approve future hotel tax for expo center
Travis County isn’t giving up on getting a taste of the hotel tax. On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court voted to put a measure on the November ballot that, if approved, would authorize the county to levy a 2 percent tax on hotel stays to fund the redevelopment of the Travis County Exposition Center. Even if […]
Posted inAustin
Council approves hotel tax increase
Despite requests from Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt and commissioners Margaret Gómez, Brigid Shea and Jeff Travillion, Austin City Council voted early Friday to approve a 2 percent increase in the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax, which will allow the city to move forward with its plan to demolish and rebuild the convention center. That brings […]
Posted inAustin
Showdown over hotel tax increases could put city and county at odds
A week after the Travis County Commissioners Court voted to explore tapping a 2 percent increase in the local Hotel Occupancy Tax for its own uses, Austin City Council appears set to claim the same tax increase to fund an expansion of the Austin Convention Center. Late Monday, an emergency resolution was added to the […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County eyes hotel tax to renovate expo center
The Travis County Commissioners Court made a move Tuesday that could put it in direct competition with the city of Austin for millions of dollars of future revenue from hotel stays. The three commissioners present voted unanimously to ask county staff to explore putting a referendum on the ballot this November that would commit a […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music advocates push for portion of possible hotel tax increase
Local groups organized around improving the financial standing of Austin musicians are preparing to push city leaders to dedicate funds from the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center toward the city’s commercial music industry. The groups include Music Moves Austin, the Music Venue Alliance and members of the Red River Cultural District. Their initial […]
Posted inCity Council
Council OKs Palm School, convention center ideas
In a stunning victory for Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Kathie Tovo, the Austin City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a 27-page resolution directing city staff to gather all the information necessary to move forward with an extensive renovation and expansion of the convention center as well as preservation of an important part of […]
Posted inAustin
Tourism Commission asks Council to pursue hotel tax collection on STRs
The Tourism Commission wants City Council to revisit and possibly make changes to its ordinance covering short-term rentals, with the goal of increasing the amount of Hotel Occupancy Tax coming into city coffers. The commission voted unanimously at this month’s meeting to ask Council to revisit its 2016 ordinance covering local STRs, specifically the mechanisms […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Tourism Commission examines whether hotel tax could keep live music on Sixth Street
The handful of music venues still operating in the city’s historic district along Sixth Street could be considered for preservation and infrastructure improvements using money from the Hotel Occupancy Tax. That idea was one of several offered for further examination by the Tourism Commission this week as the group considered its overall mission and role […]