Willie Francis
November 7, 2013
Gertrude Frances Norris
November 13, 2013
Visitors to Terrebonne Parish who stay in hotels, bed and breakfasts or at campgrounds will pony up for the cost of a new sports park and other projects, if a proposed tax on those venues is passed by voters Saturday.
The new 1 percent sales tax exclusively levied on guests is expected to generate about $300,000 annually, according to Sharon Alford of the Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is the agency granted the taxing authority.
State legislation passed earlier this year is allowing the measure onto the ballot, and although it resulted in procedural objections from one Houma attorney, no action has been taken to block voters from making the decision.
“It would all go to building infrastructure,” said convention bureau chief Sharon Alford. “Since the sports complex is a project for Terrebonne Parish we are in a cooperative endeavor agreement with them. The money would be used for a certain period of time for the sports complex, and then it would revert to the bureau for future projects.”
The $20 million “Field of Dreams” sports complex would increase visitors to the area and also be a boost to athletic and youth programs in the area, according to supporters. It is slated for a site on La. Highway 311 and is in the design phase.
Taxing hotel guests, supporters said, is not a novel approach.
“It is something that is being done in many places nationwide,” Alford said. “When you are looking for additional money to build up your infrastructure what better way than to do it from the visitors that are coming in. When we travel to other places we are paying the same type of fee.”
A $20 million “Field of Dreams” sports complex along La. Highway 311 in Houma would increase visitors and youth programs in the area, according to supporters.
