Nolan Ryan, Kevin Fowler support county proposition for expo center

A group including Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, Commissioner Jeff Travillion, Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder, and Rodeo Austin CEO Rob Golding assembled at the Travis County Exposition Center Wednesday morning to announce the launch of a new political action committee. Energize the Expo is aimed at getting voters to approve Proposition A, which would authorize the county to collect a 2 percent venue tax on hotel stays to fund the reconstruction of the dilapidated expo center, which is best known for hosting the annual Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo. A news release put out by Rodeo Austin Wednesday announced the impending endorsement of Prop A by “two prominent Texans.” It turns out the ballot measure has the support of Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan and country music star Kevin Fowler. If Prop A is approved, the hotel tax will not go into effect until the city of Austin has retired its debt on the expansion of the Austin Convention Center approved in 1998. That will allow the city to stop levying its own venue tax, freeing up the county to take over.