The City of Austin could be in for a fight over a petition that even some city commissioners signed to give residents a say on expanding the Convention Center.
Tourism Commissioner John Riedie said the petition is reasonable. If approved it would curb the city’s spending on the center. Currently, Riedie explained, Austin spends more on its Convention center than any other Texas City, 25-million dollars more than its nearest spending compeditor, San Antonio.
On top of that he added, the convention market is flat, “you can look at the annual growth rates of the convention business in the last three years, its been under 2{2db634631ef8bd3f096060bc7daa4fc6677d16e616113d8c02bec6b420e3105c}. Which is below inflation, then its not growing, its diminishing.”
The petition has been turned in and its 30,000 plus signatures are being counted up by the city clerk. If verified, the city council will have until August to either approve an ordinance requiring no more than 34-percent of hotel taxes be used, or to allow the public to have a vote.
(Photo:Shutterstock/GSPhotography)
