JUST THAT. WELL, MAYOR DAVID HOLT’S BIGGEST TOPIC AT TODAY’S STATE OF THE CITY WAS OKC’S GROWTH AND HE SAYS IT’S A BIG PART OF THAT IS THE TOURISM INDUSTRY. AS AN AUGUST VOTE COMES UP TO RAISE HOTEL TAXES, HE SAYS, THAT’S NEEDED TO KEEP THINGS MOVING. VISITORS ARE PAYING FOR OUR CITY’S CORE FUNCTIONS. NOT ONLY IS THE VISITOR INDUSTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR $2.6 BILLION A YEAR IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OKC, WE ESTIMATE VISITORS PAY AT LEAST A QUARTER OF OUR CITY’S SALES TAX IN AUGUST. OKC IS SET TO VOTE ON RAISING HOTEL TAXES FROM AROUND 14% TO MORE THAN 17, AND AT TUESDAY’S STATE OF THE CITY MAYOR DAVID HOLT ASKED COMMUNITY LEADERS TO VOTE YES. VISITORS ARE PAYING TO FUND OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR STREETS, HE SAYS. THE CITY IS DRAWING IN PEOPLE LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND HAS THE CAPACITY TO HOLD THEM. BUT THIS VOTE IS TO MAKE THOSE VISITORS PAY A LITTLE MORE, WHICH WILL PUT MORE RESOURCES INTO THOSE EFFORTS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES ON OUR RESIDENTS. THEY SAY IT WOULD HELP THEM ADVERTISE THOSE AMENITIES, SOMETHING. HOTEL TAX IS OFTEN USED FOR TO MARKET OKC TO SUPPORT EVENTS, AND TO ALSO TO SUPPORT OUR TWO MAJOR VENUES THAT DRIVE EVENT BUSINESS. CITIES LIKE TULSA ALREADY HAVE A LARGER HOTEL TAX IN US, SITTING AT 16.5%, SOMETHING HE SAYS NEEDS TO CHANGE TO KEEP OKC COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER BIG CITIES. IF YOU HAVE A RATE THAT IS FAR BELOW YOUR PEER, CITIES, YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT STAYING COMPETITIVE BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT PUTTING ENOUGH MONEY INTO ATTRACTING VISITORS. THAT VOTE IS SET FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 27TH, AND THE LAST TIME A HOTEL TAX INCREASE WAS APPROVED WAS 2004.
Mayor David Holt urges voters to pass hotel tax increase to help OKC's tourism growth
Mayor David Holt spoke about the issue during his State of the City Address
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Updated: 5:15 PM CDT Jul 23, 2024
Oklahoma City is making its mark on the national stage as the city continues to grow. | MORE | OKC City Council sends hotel tax increase to votersGrowth was the largest topic of Mayor David Holt's State of the City Address on Tuesday, saying tourism needs to grow too. He said a vote in August to raise the city's hotel tax will do just that. “Visitors are paying for our city's core functions. Not only is the visitor industry responsible for $2.6 billion a year in economic impact to OKC, we estimate that visitors pay at least a quarter of our city's sales tax," Holt said. In August, Oklahoma City is set to vote on raising the hotel taxes from around 14% to more than 17%. Holt urged community leaders to vote "yes" during his speech. “Visitors are paying to fund our police officers, our firefighters, our streets," Holt said.The city is drawing people in like never before and has the capacity to hold them, but this vote is to make those visitors pay a little more, Holt said. “Which will put more resources into those efforts without raising taxes on our residents,” Holt said. City leaders said this would help them advertise those amenities, something the hotel tax is often used for. “To market OKC, to support events and to also support our two major venues that drive event business," Holt said. Cities like Tulsa already have a higher hotel tax than Oklahoma City, sitting at 16.5%. A change would help Oklahoma City stay competitive with other big cities, according to Holt. “If you have a rate that is far below your peer cities, you are probably not staying competitive because you’re not putting enough money into attracting visitors," Holt siad. The vote is set for Tuesday, Aug. 27. The last time a hotel tax increase was approved was in 2004. Top HeadlinesBody camera video shows Watonga man slammed to the ground by police during morning walk with sonOHP identifies 25-year-old woman killed in multi-vehicle weekend crash near GuthrieWoman dead, another critically injured after head-on crash in Creek County, OHP saysWho's No. 2? The leading Democrats who could be a running mate for Kamala HarrisBodycam video reveals chaotic scene of deputy fatally shooting Illinois woman who called 911 for help
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City is making its mark on the national stage as the city continues to grow.
| MORE | OKC City Council sends hotel tax increase to voters
Growth was the largest topic of Mayor David Holt's State of the City Address on Tuesday, saying tourism needs to grow too. He said a vote in August to raise the city's hotel tax will do just that.
“Visitors are paying for our city's core functions. Not only is the visitor industry responsible for $2.6 billion a year in economic impact to OKC, we estimate that visitors pay at least a quarter of our city's sales tax," Holt said.
In August, Oklahoma City is set to vote on raising the hotel taxes from around 14% to more than 17%. Holt urged community leaders to vote "yes" during his speech.
“Visitors are paying to fund our police officers, our firefighters, our streets," Holt said.
The city is drawing people in like never before and has the capacity to hold them, but this vote is to make those visitors pay a little more, Holt said.
“Which will put more resources into those efforts without raising taxes on our residents,” Holt said.
City leaders said this would help them advertise those amenities, something the hotel tax is often used for.
“To market OKC, to support events and to also support our two major venues that drive event business," Holt said.
Cities like Tulsa already have a higher hotel tax than Oklahoma City, sitting at 16.5%. A change would help Oklahoma City stay competitive with other big cities, according to Holt.
“If you have a rate that is far below your peer cities, you are probably not staying competitive because you’re not putting enough money into attracting visitors," Holt siad.
The vote is set for Tuesday, Aug. 27. The last time a hotel tax increase was approved was in 2004.
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