Resort tax increase

[mrtoad]

I had read about this a while back but can't find the story on the Orlando Sentinel. Part of the tax is to pay for a new sports arena. It was a way to pay for a new arena (and other stuff I presume) without having FL state residents pay for it. Makes a lot of sense that it was approved as it is raising a tax that will effect more non FL residents than FL residents.

 

[Unplugged]

I had read about this a while back but can't find the story on the Orlando Sentinel. Part of the tax is to pay for a new sports arena. It was a way to pay for a new arena (and other stuff I presume) without having FL state residents pay for it. Makes a lot of sense that it was approved as it is raising a tax that will effect more non FL residents than FL residents.

Great. Another arena that locals think they need but don't want to pay for. I say Orlando (and every other city pulling this BS) should simply get out of the sports business and leave it up to the teams to figure out financing. Can't afford to build it? Well, get a better team to draw bigger crowds and bump ticket prices a bit. They end up jacking up ticket prices a LOT after getting these new subsidized stadiums anyway increasing the owners profits rather than strictly decreasing debt. Most prices are increased to the point that many families can't really afford to go anymore. Any tax increase should be placed on the tickets, parking, and vending at the stadiums within the city. Keep the cost contained and related to the cause. This is already done for the highways in that the Tollroad money goes to the toll road.

....<deep breath>. OK, I'm off my soapbox now.

 

[mrtoad]

I don't think it is a big deal personally. The area benefits the state as well as they generate tax off of it. It will be used for more than just the sport team.

To me as a resort guest, if I have a $2000.00 hotel charge it only goes up $20.00. It is a good way for the city to get the arena they want without taking a couple 100 million dollars of local tax payers money to do it.

For the road scenario you mentioned I have a bigger gripe. I live in NJ and the cost of tolls on the Garden State parkway were originally suppose to pay for the roads and once the roads were paid for the tolls were to go away. They have never gone away and have increased. Same for bridge tolls. The George Washington bridge into NYC from NJ has gone in a short while from $4.00 to $6.00. Some are worse. We went from NJ to the NY Aquarium and round trip was something like $18.00 as some of the bridges charged in both directions.

That irks me way more than a 1% hotel tax increase.

Great. Another arena that locals think they need but don't want to pay for. I say Orlando (and every other city pulling this BS) should simply get out of the sports business and leave it up to the teams to figure out financing. Can't afford to build it? Well, get a better team to draw bigger crowds and bump ticket prices a bit. They end up jacking up ticket prices a LOT after getting these new subsidized stadiums anyway increasing the owners profits rather than strictly decreasing debt. Most prices are increased to the point that many families can't really afford to go anymore. Any tax increase should be placed on the tickets, parking, and vending at the stadiums within the city. Keep the cost contained and related to the cause. This is already done for the highways in that the Tollroad money goes to the toll road.

....<deep breath>. OK, I'm off my soapbox now.

 

[CJR]

If any of you know my history, I'm never a fan of price increases. So, I'm not even going to get started on a tax increase. I just hope they're putting the extra money to good use. Our city spent money to fly our council members to St. Louis so they could eat at Hooters. Hopefully, this has a different result. I just hope Disney doesn't price itself out. I hate comparing it to a $40 concert (Even through it's true) because I think they're over priced too. Entertaiment in general is over priced and the wrong people make way too much money.

 

[mrtoad]

I just hope Disney doesn't price itself out.

It's all hotels in the area, not just Disney.

 

[dxwwf3]

I really hope they build the new arena near Disney. That would be great to be such a short drive away because any time we go in December, we HAVE to go to at least one Magic game. And if we are pretty much paying for it, it would be nice if it were closer to the tourism district

BTW, Go Magic!

 

[mkt]

drat! I have to pay $1 more on a $100/nt room.

DAMN YOU RICHARD CROTTY... DAMN YOU ALL TO HECK!

 

[thedisneyfan]

I really hope they build the new arena near Disney. That would be great to be such a short drive away because any time we go in December, we HAVE to go to at least one Magic game. And if we are pretty much paying for it, it would be nice if it were closer to the tourism district

BTW, Go Magic!

That would be insane! :hammer: Keep that traffic as far away from the theme parks as possible.

 

[dxwwf3]

That would be insane! :hammer: Keep that traffic as far away from the theme parks as possible.

I don't mean directly on Disney property :lol:

Actually I think somewhere between Universal and Disney is the spot they are looking at right now. And I think that would be a great spot.

 

[thedisneyfan]

Corporate welfare really needs to end as it drives up costs to others. I'm sure that Disney lobbied heavily against this. To those who say that using tax dollars in such a manner brings in tax dolars, then why don't they build me a house to live in and I will pay the taxes on it afterwards? For that matter, why don't they build Disney's monorail expansion and 5th gate on the taxpayer's dime too? Wait......I may be on to something here :lookaroun

 

[a2grafix]

It's all hotels in the area, not just Disney.

Does this also include Shades of Green, since it's a military resort on Disney property on county land?

 

[thedisneyfan]

I don't mean directly on Disney property :lol:

Actually I think somewhere between Universal and Disney is the spot they are looking at right now. And I think that would be a great spot.

I didn't take it that way. What I meant was put it in the complete opposite direction in the county. Tens of miles away from the entrance to WDW property (as well as the other park operators).

 

[Unplugged]

Corporate welfare really needs to end as it drives up costs to others. I'm sure that Disney lobbied heavily against this. To those who say that using tax dollars in such a manner brings in tax dolars, then why don't they build me a house to live in and I will pay the taxes on it afterwards? For that matter, why don't they build Disney's monorail expansion and 5th gate on the taxpayer's dime too? Wait......I may be on to something here :lookaroun

Funny you say that. I almost included a similiar statement in my original writing. Taxes for a new City Hall & Court house or Fire Dept I understand, taxes for a stadium for privately owned teams with costs being subsidized by big advertisers so owners can increase their margins......give me a break.:hammer:

Now as for your house idea.....you do realize you'd eventually have to have Verizon, United, or some other big company sponsor your home with their logo on the roof. i.e. "The Verizon House" on Lake Travis Drive. :lol: Considering how high the property taxes are in my area, I may have to follow suit if you pull this off!

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

Considering the amount of hotel rooms in both counties, I'm surprised this tax hasn't gone up sooner to put more money in their pockets.

 

[mrtoad]

Corporate welfare really needs to end as it drives up costs to others. I'm sure that Disney lobbied heavily against this. To those who say that using tax dollars in such a manner brings in tax dolars, then why don't they build me a house to live in and I will pay the taxes on it afterwards? For that matter, why don't they build Disney's monorail expansion and 5th gate on the taxpayer's dime too? Wait......I may be on to something here :lookaroun

One of the articles I had read on it said both Disney and Universal were on the same side on this and that was to do it.

Also by doing this there is more tax revenue. Think about it. You are adding 1% to the hotel tax but now you are going to gain tax at whatever the rate is (6% or whatever it is) on the new seats added to the arena as it will be larger, the new luxury boxes which will be added and also on any new event that you could not get before with a crappy old diny arena. The current one is not bad, I've been there a few times for games on vacation but it is not up today's standards. Also I believe but am not positive, outside of sporting events the city will gain the revenue from things like concerts, etc, not the Magic.

I don't see it being a bad thing at all.

I don't mean directly on Disney property :lol:

Actually I think somewhere between Universal and Disney is the spot they are looking at right now. And I think that would be a great spot.

They are looking at a few spots but that is one of them I heard. We also go to games when down sometimes so I would not mind it being closer as well.

Does this also include Shades of Green, since it's a military resort on Disney property on county land?

That I don't know as I don't know how that effect military stuff.

 

[thedisneyfan]

One of the articles I had read on it said both Disney and Universal were on the same side on this and that was to do it.

Also by doing this there is more tax revenue. Think about it. You are adding 1% to the hotel tax but now you are going to gain tax at whatever the rate is (6% or whatever it is) on the new seats added to the arena as it will be larger, the new luxury boxes which will be added and also on any new event that you could not get before with a crappy old diny arena. The current one is not bad, I've been there a few times for games on vacation but it is not up today's standards. Also I believe but am not positive, outside of sporting events the city will gain the revenue from things like concerts, etc, not the Magic.

I don't see it being a bad thing at all.

I find it hard that any business would be for increasing a tax on its items thus making their product more expensive to sell. Anyway, you can make the same amount of tax revenue from the same seats that a privately funded Arena would create. Other than roads to/from, utility hookups, public transportation stops, such activities need to financed by the private owners of these teams. Teams by the way that can be just as bad in new stadiums as they were in old ones, but at least the old ones aren't costing the taxpayers $500 million dollars.