GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Voters in Kent County will decide if there will be a tax increase on hotel stays after Kent County Commissioners approved the ballot measure Thursday.
The ballot measure would raise hotel taxes from 5% to 8%. City leaders are hoping the increased revenue from the tax could help fund major projects, like the soccer stadium and amphitheater that are currently in the approval process.
It would also help fund a proposed aquarium that would be built in Kent County, if it is approved.
In a letter to Kent County Commissioners earlier this week, Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and other city leaders said tourism has rebounded since the pandemic, with hotel room revenue at "record levels" and many event centers being sold out.
The letter said using the tax on these major projects could "generate hundreds of millions of dollars" for the city.
During public comment, all but one resident spoke in favor of the tax. That resident said they live near where the amphitheater will be built, and they are concerned about noise. They said the city has not addressed those concerns adequately.
The decision on the tax increase will appear on the August ballot in Kent County.
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