An overnight stay in a Hamilton County hotel or a meal in a restaurant could cost more in the name of convention center expansion.

        Members of a task force working to find money to pay for the proposed $171 million enlargement and makeover of the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center are lobbying the state legislature to allow a countywide hotel and restaurant tax.

        Counties need permission from the state to impose such a tax because they do not have home-rule powers. Cuyahoga County has joined forces with Hamilton County for the enabling legislation, which would allow the tax to be placed on the books.

        It is unclear how much the tax would be, but if approved, it would replace $50 million in bonds approved by Cincinnati City Council two years ago for the expansion.

        The hotel and restaurant taxes “are under consideration right now,” said Dan Meyer, chairman of the task force. “The next hurdle would be to get support from the County Commission for this. But this is a simultaneous equation — the commission has to be behind it for it to work in Columbus.”

        Mr. Meyer said the task force is working on its financing package for expansion.

        Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune said he would like a presentation on the proposed tax soon.

        State Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, said the tax would not be imposed by the state. Legislation simply would allow a vote by the commission, or a popular vote of the people, to enact the tax.

        Nat Comisar, chairman of the Maisonette Restaurant Group and a task force member, said the tax would be welcomed by people in his industry. He said 20 years ago, downtown restaurants drew 65 percent of their income from out-of-towners; today it's 35 percent.

        “Economic development is not just stirring the pot of money we have. It's about bringing in outside money,” Mr. Comisar said. “That's what the convention center is all about.”

        But Mike Kull isn't so sure the tax is a good idea. Mr. Kull is owner of the Dubliner restaurant in Pleasant Ridge, and said a restaurant tax would be a mixed bag — hotels and restaurants in Northern Kentucky wouldn't be burdened by the tax and still would benefit from convention center expansion.

        “I think it's a pretty hard argument to justify for those restaurants and hotels out in the county that never see any convention business,” Mr. Kull said. “What is to convince them that a larger convention center would mean more business?”

        Commissioners likely will be briefed on the financing scheme in January.

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