Voters will decide on hotel tax; venue to lure top musicians to SPI

By
Raul Garcia
-
South Padre Island’s preliminary drawing of the city amphitheater project city leaders are interested in building if the proposed hotel tax increase is approved by voters in November. This sketch shows decks three feet above each other for spectators to stand, dance or sit during live performances. Rendering designed by Dr. Sungman Kim, SPI director of development.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Tired of driving all the way to San Antonio, Austin or even farther to see star musicians perform?

That could change with the vision of some local officials.

They want to build an amphitheater big enough to book the brightest stars to perform on South Padre Island.

“I would like to see million dollar concerts like Jimmy Buffett, Bruce Springsteen and other popular artists who haven’t come to the Valley to perform on the Island,” said South Padre Island Mayor Barry Patel.

But to do that, the city council needs some more money and the approval of voters to collect that extra cash.

The Island’s city council has approved placing a 2-percent venue tax proposal on the November ballot.

That would increase the present 14.5 percent hotel occupancy tax to 16.5 percent, if approved by the voters.

City officials project the venue tax of 2 percent on eligible hotel and condo rentals would be paid mostly by visitors and bring in an additional $2 million annually to South Padre Island.

For the rest of this story and many other EXTRAS, go to our premium site, www.MyValleyStar.com.

Subscribe to it for only $6.99 per month or purchase a print subscription and receive the online version free, which includes an electronic version of the full newspaper and extra photo galleries, links and other information you can’t find anywhere else.

IMPACT ON A $200 BASE HOTEL ROOM

– Current cost at 16.5 percent hotel tax = $233

– Potential future cost at 18.5 percent tax = $237

– The impact amounts to an increase tax of $1 for every $50 on the base cost of a hotel room.

SPECIAL ELECTION

The City of South Padre Island will hold a special election Nov. 8 to vote on a venue tax authorizing a 2 percent increase in the hotel occupancy tax.

If approved, the tax could bring in an additional $2 million in revenue.

Here is what officials want

to do with the money:

– plan, design, develop, renovate, construct a convention center annex

– Padre Boulevard median improvements

– sports and community venue projects and related land purchase

– building an amphitheater

– building a parking facility

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR