by RAY HERNANDEZ
Kyle Chamber of Commerce

The Kyle Area Chamber continues to market our community via a partnership with the City of Kyle. We utilize a portion of Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars which are paid by hotel guests that stay at our local lodging establishments. The Kyle Chamber also contributes real dollars, staff time and thousands of volunteer hours as we tell the story of Kyle.

These funds are to be used following a few guidelines. There is a two-part test that every expenditure of local Hotel Occupancy Tax must meet to be valid.

Criteria #1: First, every expenditure must DIRECTLY enhance and promote tourism AND the convention and hotel industry.

In other words, a funded event or facility must be likely to do two things: 1) promote tourism; and 2) promote the convention and hotel industry.

Criteria #2: Every expenditure of theHotel Occupancy Tax must clearly fit into one of eight statutorily provided categories.

The first is listed here:
1) Funding the establishment, improvement or maintenance of a convention center or visitor information center.

State law specifies that for a facility to be funded as a convention center it must be one that is primarily used to host conventions and meetings. “Primarily used” in this context would arguably mean that at least 51 percent of the bookings for the facility are to host conventions or meetings that directly promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry. In other words, holding local resident meetings in a facility would not count toward qualifying the facility as a convention center, but meetings of individuals from out-of-town who in part stay at hotels would qualify.

The term “convention center” is defined to include civic centers, auditoriums, exhibition halls and coliseums that are owned by the city or another governmental entity or that are managed in whole or in part by the city. It also includes parking areas in the immediate vicinity of other convention center facilities, and certain hotels. It does not include facilities that are not of the same general characteristics as the structures listed above.

Simply naming a facility a convention center or visitor information center does not bring it under this section. The authority to use the Hotel Occupancy Tax for facilities is limited. For example, the Attorney General has specifically ruled against the expenditure of local hotel occupancy taxes for a city recreational facility such as a golf course or a tennis court. Similarly, general civic buildings such as the city hall, local senior citizen centers or activity centers would not qualify as convention centers that could be funded by hotel tax.

Kyle Area Chamber employees and volunteers staff the Visitor’s Center. Among the many things we do is provide information on our area and conduct tours for individuals and groups that visit the Depot. Please visit us at 100 N. Front St, or online at www.kylechamber.org or www.kyletour.com

Upcoming events
• September 2, 6-8 p.m.: FREE Ambassador BASH/Mixer at Chuck NASH Auto Group with food, music and beverages.
• September 4, 9 a.m. -2 p.m.: Enjoy artisans, craftsmen, a farmers market & free live music in downtown Kyle.
• September 9-10: Kyle Annual Celebrity Golf Classic-Plum Creek golf course.