ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A day after meeting for the final time, Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax Citizen Task Force offered its recommendations to a council made up of local mayors and tourism leaders.
During a presentation before the Tourism Development Council, co-chairs Jane Healy and Tony Jenkins answered questions about how the group ranked their priorities for spending Orange County’s 6% hotel room tax.
The county set a record in 2022 by bringing in more than $336 million in tourism development tax collections from hotel rooms and other lodgings.
The task force recommended spending the bulk of the county’s tourism tax on large venues like the Orange County Convention Center and Amway Center.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE)]
Members also supported funding requests of three granting organizations.
“They thought that the arts and theaters and the sports commission marketing basically need more money out of the tax,” Healy said.
State law is particular about how the money can be used. It allows for the building and renovation of tourism revenues, as well as advertising.
Some in the task force have questioned if funds could be used to support affordable housing and transportation needs. The group has recommended that Orange County commissioners push for changes to state law.
“To me, as a leader who sees the need in taking care of our tourist workers as part of our obligation to the tourism industry, I think we should be able to consider those uses,” District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson said.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Tourist Development Council unanimously approved the task force’s presentation.
The co-chairs are scheduled to present the recommendations to the board of county commissioners July 25.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: