Tag Archives: Hotel Occupancy Tax
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…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 22, 2019
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…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 11, 2019
As hotel tax growth slows, Tourism Commission targets short-term rentals
The growth of short-term rental activity in the city and a possible saturation of the local hotel market are seen as the biggest causes behind a flattening of Austin’s once fast-growing Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue. That was the conclusion at…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 22, 2019
UT study at center of debate on tourism, hotel tax and expansion proposal
A forthcoming report from a group of University of Texas architectural students may be the next significant piece of research shaping the ongoing debate over how the city uses its Hotel Occupancy Tax funds. That study – commissioned last year…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 22, 2019
Tourism Commission pushes for broader use of hotel tax dollars
Austin’s Tourism Commission wants to see the city push for more latitude in how to spend local hotel occupancy tax dollars, with an eye toward next year’s session of the state Legislature. At Monday’s meeting, the commission approved a recommendation…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 14, 2018
Debate over convention center, hotel tax funds spreads to Music Commission
A recently created music activism group has been thrown into the fray of the debate – largely playing out in meetings of the new Tourism Commission – over how to spend money the city generates through its roughly $100 million…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 13, 2018
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Cuts to arts groups brings call for changes to funding mechanism
Local arts groups facing dramatic cuts in their funding levels from the city could get some relief this budget year, and possibly an earlier heads-up in future budget years if their funding allocations appear headed for a decrease. The city’s…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 18, 2018
Council approves preservation projects with $5.5M from hotel tax
More than a dozen projects related to the preservation of Austin’s historic buildings will move ahead, with more to follow in coming budget years, using money from the city’s portion of its Hotel Occupancy Tax. Last month City Council approved…
Preservation • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 9, 2018
Which historic sites should be covered by hotel occupancy taxes?
Last year, City Council voted to reallocate millions of dollars from the Austin Convention Center and Visit Austin (formerly the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau) to historic preservation efforts. Now, it’s up to Council to decide what projects will benefit…
Preservation • By Jack Craver • Mar 22, 2018
Council commissions study of convention center expansion
Researchers at the University of Texas are going to ask the question that seems to be on every Austinite’s mind these days: “Can new, programmatic spatial configurations and economic models for urban convention centers be applied to downtown Austin in…
City Council • By Caleb Pritchard • Dec 22, 2017
Memo outlines 'downtown puzzle' progress headed into 2018
Work on Mayor Steve Adler’s “downtown puzzle” policies package will be almost certainly put on hold until the spring when newly hired city manager Spencer Cronk will be able to study and work on how to execute the proposal. That…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 21, 2017
Stadium proposal renews talk of hotel taxes for Expo Center revamp
Travis County officials appear ready to push for some of Austin’s growing pool of Hotel Occupancy Tax money to be used to pay for an ambitious expansion of the Travis County Exposition Center site, which is also where a group…
