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<br />REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM <br />Appropriation <br />Agenda Date Requested: October 12, 2020 <br /> <br />Source of Funds: N/A <br />Requested By: Corby Alexander, City Mgr. <br /> <br />Department: Administration/CMO <br />Account Number: N/A <br /> <br />Amount Budgeted: N/A <br />Report Resolution Ordinance <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Amount Requested: N/a <br />Exhibits: Resolution 2020-24 <br /> <br />Budgeted Item: Yes No <br /> <br /> <br />SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION <br />Presently, the State law provides nine (9) specific uses for Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) <br />revenues including funding for tourist promotion, arts promotion, historic preservation <br />and signage for tourists. Our city parks such as Pecan Park and Little Cedar Bayou <br />Park are extensively used by visitors participating in sporting events. Many of these <br />visitors spend the night in our hotels before and after enjoying our parks. However, <br />State law does not allow HOT revenues to be used to support improvements to these <br />parks. Also, State law does not allow these revenues to be used to fund trail <br />improvements that would connect our parks with other tourist destinations and our <br />hotels and other lodging establishments. <br /> <br />If the attached Resolution was approved, it would be sent to the Texas Municipal <br />League (TML) for inclusion in their priorities for the 2021 legislative session. Over the <br />past month and currently, several cities have been reviewing this option and have <br />approved or will be asked to approve the resolution. It is expected that many other cities <br />will support our efforts if approved by the City Council. <br /> <br />If HOT dollars were approved for park and trail improvements, there are a number of <br />projects these funds could help support. Some of these projects could include, but are <br />not limited to: <br /> Five Points Plaza pavilion, restrooms, parking lot, and possibly a new <br />playground and/or splash pad for added activities at our events and during non- <br />event times. <br /> Trail connectivity pieces on Spencer, trail wayfinding signage throughout our trail <br />system, raising the trail up in low lying areas on Fairmont, and Phase 2 of the <br />Broadway Trail Lighting Project. <br /> <br />