Needing public support to fund three proposed sports
stadiums, Houston Mayor Bob Lanier and Harris County Judge Robert
Eckels have devised a plan that will not utilize rental car and
hotel occupancy taxes. John Williams of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE
reports $200M -- or approximately one-third of the $625M needed
to build a retractable-roof baseball-only stadium, a downtown
arena for the Rockets and IHL Aeros and a renovated football-only
Astrodome -- would come from tourist taxes, while $400M would
come from owners and venue surcharges. Jim Kollaer, President of
the Greater Houston Partnership, cited Lanier's polling and said
he believes residents will be receptive: "These kinds of visitor
taxes seem to be the kind of place where we can get some money."
Lanier and Eckels believe a 5% rental car tax could bring in
$10M/year, to cover $100M of construction, while a 1% increase in
the hotel tax could generate $4.5M annually and finance $45M in
construction. Hoteliers feel the hotel tax is already high
enough at 15%. Mark Wasiak, president of the Greater Houston
Hotel & Motel Assoc.: "Absolutely we're concerned" (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 5/21).
AEROS SKEPTICAL: While Houston and Harris County call for a
$175M downtown arena, Aeros Owner Chuck Watson feels that would
cover sufficient parking and infrastructure costs nor the cost to
settle the claims of parties involved with The Summit. Watson
envisions the price to "far exceed $200M" and has proposed
instead a $50M facelift for The Summit that would give the arena
74 suites and 18,200 seats (Jody Goldstein, HOUSTON CHRONICLE,
5/21).
MOORES CRITICISM: The plan also drew criticism from Houston
businessman and Padres Owner John Jay Moores (bidding to bring
the NFL back to Houston) who said a baseball stadium, not a
basketball and hockey arena, would be better suited to revitalize
Houston's downtown community. The current plan calls for a new
Astros stadium to be built adjacent to the Astrodome (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 5/21).
