Visit B.R. considers opposing legislation that would reduce revenue

The Baton Rouge Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is holding a special executive committee meeting today to take up a recommendation from President Paul Arrigo to oppose legislation that would allow Zachary to keep a 3% hotel occupancy tax currently going to the visitors bureau, better known as Visit Baton Rouge. The bureau gets all of its roughly $3.4 million annual budget from the 3% occupancy tax levied on hotels in the parish, says Arrigo. Of that, the two hotels in Zachary generate about $70,000, he says. House Bill 1165 by Rep. Kenny Havard, R-St. Francisville, would allow Zachary to keep those funds for itself. “It pretty much fragments our efforts to market and brand all of East Baton Rouge, which we call Baton Rouge, as a destination,” says Arrigo, adding that he expects other convention and visitors bureaus around the state to oppose the legislation as well. The bill would allow for any municipality with a population between 14,900 and 16,500—located in a parish with fewer than 435,000 residents—to be excluded from giving a share of its occupancy tax to the parish tourist commission. See the full text of HB 1165 here. The executive committee will meet at 3 p.m. at the Visit Baton Rouge offices, 359 Third St., and the attending public will be have an opportunity to comment. —Steve Sanoski