Crawford County approves hotel tax for stadium - KOAM TV 7

A tax increase is coming for visitor's to Crawford County who are looking for a place to sleep. In a few months the county's transient guest tax will increase by two percent. The Commission passed the tax increase to 6 percent from 4 to help growth in Crawford County.

"It really doesn't cost our local tax payers anything because it is a bed tax that is paid by people who are in the hotel rooms," according to Crawford County Commissioner Linda Grilz. "It's a win, win."

The proceeds from the 2 percent increase will be divided evenly between PSU for it's indoor multi-purpose sports complex and the other half to the Visitor's Bureau for a more competitive marketing campaign.

"We'll be having a contract with the conventions and visitor's bureau and the county and for the first five years we are going to be focused on getting that building, the new indoor sports facility out of the ground, Shawn Naccarato, Director of Government and Community Relations for PSU said. "After that we believe we will continue to have that contract with the CVB because it will help us with operations."

The indoor sports facility will not only benefit PSU, according to Grilz. She says it will also open up things like concerts, boat shows and even bigger sporting events to the surrounding community--which in turn will draw more heads in beds across Crawford County.

"This will raise about almost a hundred thousand dollars a year," Grilz said. "Which is amazing, and it will help to get that event center to become a reality."  

Two percent means an additional $1.40 for every $70 motel room, but not everyone thinks this small change should be taken lightly. And may not go over well with travelers on a budget.

"They have to find something else, another way to get the money to build a stadium this is not right to increase the rate, it is a burden to low social economic people," Bob Mendpara, General Manager of Pittsburg's Holiday Lodge said. 

Mendpara said any extra amount--even a dollar--onto a budget hotel bill will have customers complaining. But Grilz says a rate of six percent is fair and in line with communities the size of Crawford County.