If it joins the district, the hotel is expected to add a 3% tax to room bills as a way to support the district financially, said City Finance Director Dave Jones.
He noted the council in October authorized borrowing up to $2.75 million to fund improvements to North B Street related to the Spooky Nook project. The taxes or fees collected by the authority will be go first toward paying that off.
“Revenues derived from property owners in the New Community District will be used to pay debt service on outstanding debt issued by the HCA, including the parking debt,” Jones added.
Before a final decision is made on the expansion, a public hearing will be held Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. in city council chambers.
“We’re excited about Spooky Nook,” said Matthew Nash, general manager for the Marriott downtown. “I think when the complex is completed and starts bringing in visitors, that’s definitely going to be a boon for the community, for tourism in general, definitely for the hotel.
“I think it’s going to pay great dividends for the city and the community as well. I think there’ll be some great revenue coming into the area.”
There also will be “people coming in and seeing what Hamilton’s all about,” Nash added. “I think we’ve gone through a great resurgence here in the last couple of years, and we’ve got a lot of things to show off.”
Dan Bates, president and CEO of the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and co-chairman of the authority, said the Marriott “was one of those first steps to take Hamilton into the future in a positive way. And it’s interesting that the hotel comes back online again to be another piece of taking Hamilton yet another step forward.”
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