A ‘Special Election’ will be held May 4th, to consider a renovation, repair and other improvements of the Love Civic Center as a venue project and approving an increase in the hotel occupancy tax.
Paris Texas’ Love Civic Center is our city’s largest event center and arguably the heart of our community.
However, with the building now being 25-years-old the Civic Center Board and the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce Board believe it is time for the venue to undergo a remodel so that it may continue to live up to its full potential.
“To keep the Love Civic Center as a viable venue for future events that bring important tourist dollars to Paris, it needs to be updated and remodeled,” said Chamber President Paul Allen.
The remodel plan is a $1.5 million dollar investment which will include in redoing both exterior and interior paint, new luxury tile flooring, renovated bathrooms, and an updated HVAC system.
Boards members look to fund the remodel by implementing a $00.02 increase to the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT), which would move the current tax from $00.07 up to $00.09. This plan should bring in an estimated annual $189,000 resulting in a 10-year payoff.
“The Hotel Occupancy Tax is collected when guests stay at our local hotels, motels, and bed & breakfasts,” said Allen. “This keeps the taxes of our local citizens from increasing, as a majority of those staying in our city’s hotels are from out of town.”
Allen explained that collecting additional (HOT) from out of town guests will help them be able to pay for the much-needed update with no financial impact on our local taxpayers.
So where do local hotel owners stand on the proposed tax increase? They support it.
“As a representative for all the hotels and motels in this community, I support the initiative to increase hotel occupancy tax by 2%,” said Mihir “Mark” Pankaj, owner of Days Inn and Hampton Inn.
“I believe this is an opportunity for us to be able to grow and attract bigger events to Paris.”
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Early voting for the Special Election will begin on Monday, April 22, 2019, and continue through Tuesday, April 30, 2019, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., except April 22, 2019 and April 23, 2019 the hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. No early voting will be held on Saturdays or Sundays. All early voting will take place at the Lamar County Courthouse Annex, 231 Lamar Avenue, Paris, Texas.
Election Day voting will be between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on May 4, 2019. Voting locations on Election Day are: Districts 1 & 2, Red River Valley Fairgrounds, Event Center, 1875 Fitzhugh Street, Paris, Texas and Districts 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7, Lamar County Courthouse Annex, Old County Courtroom, 231 Lamar Avenue, Paris, Texas.
