'Now it's our turn': Tulsa city leaders pushing for hotel guest tax increase

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa voters will decide on Election Day whether to raise the city's hotel guest tax from 5% to 9.9%, a measure city leaders say would fund improvements to local facilities without raising taxes on residents.

The hotel guest tax has sat at 5% since 1984. City leaders, who gathered at a press conference, say the increase would apply to hotel stays and reinvest that revenue back into the local economy.

"So now, we're getting our fair share. We've been leaving money on the table for 40 years," Visit Tulsa President Renee McKenney said.

Revenue from the tax would go toward improvements to facilities like the BOK Center, the Arvest Convention Center and others. Mayor Monroe Nichols framed the proposal as essential for Tulsa to keep up with other cities.

"If we are serious about being competitive, we can't expect to compete with these cities that are continually investing in themselves if we are not willing to do the same," Nichols said.

Every city leader who spoke at the press conference maintained that the hotel guest tax increase doesn't actually increase taxes for people who live in Tulsa. Instead, it goes on the tourist, and that money goes back into the economy.

"This proposal gives us an opportunity to take that activity, reinvest in the places that make us a destination, but also, and most importantly, continue to make those places better for the people who live here on somebody else's dime," Nichols said.

"If we want to win the next decade, we have to invest in winning the next decade. That's why I support this proposal. That's why this proposal has unanimous support from the city council, and I'm encouraging everybody across our city to vote yes on Tuesday and let's put Tulsa on the map for good," Nichols added.