San Diego, CA – Hoteliers passed a new room tax that will help finance a planned expansion of the San Diego Convention Center.
The levy will add 3% to room charges at the major downtown hotels closest to the convention center and between 1% and 2% for hotels in the city that are farther away from the center and presumably less likely to see a significant increase in business from the center. The current citywide room tax is 12.5%.
The plan will generate more than $30 million annually to help pay for the planned $520 million expansion of the convention center. About 92% of the hoteliers in the city voted in favor of the proposal, The San Diego Union-Tribune said.
“With near unanimity, the hoteliers have obviously recognized the benefit of the convention center and the need to expand it,” said Darren Pudgil, spokesman for Mayor Jerry Sanders.
The expansion would increase the overall exhibit space at the center to 750,000 square feet (sf) by 2014. Another 101,000 sf of meeting space and 80,000 sf of ballroom space would be added. The center currently offers 615,701 sf of prime exhibit space and is ranked No. 23 in Trade Show Executive’s directory of the World’s Top Convention Centers.
Reach Carol Wallace, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corp., at (619) 525-5000 or carol.wallace@visitsandiego.com
