The debate in Miami these days is no longer whether the Dolphin's new logo will continue to feature Flipper in a flippin' helmet (it won't). It's whether to increase the Room Tax to help pay to renovate the Dolphins' stadium. Never mind that Miami may be at the State cap for Room Tax and such an increase in rate could be illegal.
The larger question, at least in my mind, is whether Room Tax should be invested in infrastructure that doesn't increase hotel stays. Despite the fact that the Dolphins have the highest number of empty seats in the NFL, unless they plan to develop a Jerry Jones-style Taj Mahal, I'm not sure that we're talking a significant increase in room nights with a new stadium.
And, the argument that upgrades are needed to host future Super Bowls? I get that...but with the NFL increasingly putting the big game in cold-weather cities, what are we talking? Once a decade?
Hey, I don't for a moment doubt the impact of a pro team in a Super Bowl Town. But, if it's that important? Why aren't we talking General Fund assistance?
Why is it always Room Tax...when hotel occupancy won't likely budge?
Sometimes it feels like the pressure to produce measurable ROI continually increases and yet other times I see things like this attempt to increase the lodging tax percentage to pay for something that won't produce ROI. It's a weird paradox that ROI is only a weighing factor when it suits decision makers.
Posted by: MA | April 08, 2013 at 10:58