Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune said Wednesday he would support an increase in the countywide hotel-motel tax to help pay for an expanded Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center.

        But Mr. Portune would not support an increase in the countywide restaurant tax for the same purpose.

Portune

        A hotel room tax increase from 3 percent to 5.5 percent could raise $59 million and cover the $51 million gap in financing for the $170 million expansion. The leftover money could help pay for operating costs of the expanded center and the Sharonville Convention Center.

        “I don't want to fight about this, but the tone of that (the Portune plan) is serious and negative toward the goal of expanding the center,” Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said.

        Mr. Portune said, “Only the (hotel/motel tax) seems warranted for Hamilton County given where we sit, the projects already on our plate, the tax burden borne by our residents and the funding previously on the table that has either been officially pledged and/or adopted.”

        Mr. Portune said he would support the measure only if all the other funding comes through — $18 million from the city's hotel tax, $51 million in bond debt, $10 million from Northern Kentucky, $20 million from the business community and $30 million in naming rights by Delta Air Lines.

        Mr. Luken sent a budget provision calling for an increase in the city's hotel tax back to the Finance Committee while he seeks clarification from Mr. Portune about the county's intentions.

        Commissioner John Dowlin said he'd like to see an analysis of the funding plan.

        “I've not seen one piece of paper from proponents of convention center expansion, tax experts or economists,” Mr. Dowlin said.

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