TULSA, Okla. — Tulsans could vote on nearly doubling an existing citywide tax for out-of-towners this November if approved in the next city council meeting. The benefits, according to councilors, would renovate city-owned venues most used by tourism-related events.
"It’s a tax on other people who are coming to Tulsa to utilize our facilities,” Councilor Phil Lakin told 2 News Oklahoma right after the July 15 Tulsa City Council meeting.
The city's current hotel excise tax – including for AirBnB-style sites- is 5.5 percent. So far, the city reports an average of $3.9 million in tourism revenue daily. The city also boasts 16,000 jobs made possible by tourism activity.
Increasing the tax to 9.9 percent is an idea its supporting councilors said is okay by business owners and keeps up with other cities.
"The people that are in charge of lodging have given us a letter saying that they fully support this,” Lakin added. “That was one of their key goals as well, is getting as many people to Tulsa as possible. It helps us, helps the city sales and development tax standpoint, and it really does help them as hoteliers.”
Councilor Laura Bellis also backs the increase, calling it "a common sense measure."
"Our guest tax pales in comparison to many other comparable cities, including Oklahoma City," Bellis told 2 News. "It’s significantly lower and it’s making it where we’re just not competitive nor able to invest adequately in tourism.”
If approved, funding beginning in phases in 2027 would bump the general city fund and economic development, but mostly would boost marketing & tourism and improving facilities.
Chief among those facilities: Arvest Convention Center and BOK Center. The council’s proposal notes the latter hasn’t gotten any renovations since 2008.
"We want to attract those concerts. We’re losing them to other cities right now, same with conferences," Bellis said. "We just have to be able to maintain existing assets better than we are. It’s absolutely time for an upgrade to the BOK Center.”
"What (more of the taxes) leave behind are sales tax dollars and ultimately, nicer facilities for us to use as well,” Lakin said.
Both Lakin and Bellis agreed that progress on the BOK Center could aid in bringing more OKC Thunder basketball games to Tulsa, theoretically.
If the council approves the plans July 22, voters in the city limits will see the question included in their general election ballot on November 3.
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