Wednesday, April 25, 2001
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Wednesday, April 25, 2001 |
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PTC jumps hotel tax from 3% up to 5% By JOHN MUNFORD
Visitors to Peachtree City will start chipping in more now that the City Council has approved an increase in the hotel-motel tax from 3 to 5 percent. Estimates call for the increase to add $376,000 annually to the city, but Georgia law requires the hotel-motel tax funds to be spent on tourism-related initiatives and programs. Mayor Bob Lenox has said he wants to use the increased revenue to fund the expansion of the city's tennis center by adding six covered courts and a new office building for the center with enough room for another tenant. The hotel-motel tax money would also be used to pay off $2 million in debt accrued by the Airport Authority and Development Authority. In a memo to council, City Manager Jim Basinger explained that some of the tax would also go to the general fund to pay for sports complexe and cart paths. Currently, the tennis center is leasing office space off-site to fill the needs for its 33 employees. Proponents of using the hotel-motel tax for the tennis center argue that with tournaments on weekends and other events, the tennis center is responsible for luring tourists to Peachtree City. Tennis Center Director Virgil Christian told The Citizen that the covered courts would help the center recruit major college tournaments. Officials have begun to explore seeking the 2003 ACC Championship tennis tournament, Christian said. The covered courts would allow the matches to be played even during inclement weather, Christian added. The estimated annual payment for the $2.5 million tennis center expansion is $239,000. Taking that from the estimated annual hotel-motel tax increase leaves an additional $137,000 for the general fund and, possibly, the airport authority. One of the Airport Authority's chief concerns involves acquiring land adjacent to the airport so it can make sure the land is developed for airport uses.
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