Unconventional Austin PAC Secures Signatures to Challenge Austin Convention Center Expansion

• A petition filed by the Unconventional Austin PAC has garnered enough signatures to challenge the expansion of the Austin Convention Center
• Unconventional Austin’s petition gathered 31,908 signatures of which 24,481 were valid
• The 24,481 signatures reaches the 20,000 requirement by the city charter and state law to validate a petition
• Austin City Council unanimously voted for an expansion in late May
• The plan, dubbed the Palm District Master Plan, re-envisions the convention center, preserves the former Palm Elementary School, and improves transportation and the area around the convention center
• City Council is set to discuss at a meeting on August 8^th the options of either adopting the ordinance as written or call for an election to put the ordinance on the ballot for November
• If the petition goes on the ballot in November, voters would be able to decide if voter approval should be required for any expansions or remodeling of the convention center that would cost more than $20 million
• The petition would also require the Austin’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) revenue be used in the following ways:
  • 15{fbcf2a5c42fe71624047a18c73673849799bd5d53cdb5d8ca16f4833367ca63d} or more for a historic preservation fund
  • 15{fbcf2a5c42fe71624047a18c73673849799bd5d53cdb5d8ca16f4833367ca63d} or more for the cultural arts fund
  • Any remaining dollars going to enhance Austin’s cultural tourism industry
• It would also place a limit for the convention center to receive 34{fbcf2a5c42fe71624047a18c73673849799bd5d53cdb5d8ca16f4833367ca63d} of the total annual HOT revenue

More information:

https://www.kxan.com/news/petition-meets-threshold-to-bring-austin-convention-center-expansion-to-a-public-vote/

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