So the good news today out of Charlotte is that two associations representing the hotel and hospitality industry have come out against a proposal to fund a NASCAR Hall of Fame in the city with hotel taxes. Here?s how the local newspaper leads off its piece:
RALEIGH – Two groups of N.C. hotel operators say they’ll aggressively fight Charlotte’s plan to own and operate a NASCAR Hall of Fame, arguing city officials can’t be trusted to spend state money wisely.
Yes, absolutely ? would that this resistance on the part of hotel owners became a statewide trend.
The bad news is that, according to them, the problem isn?t taxing a large universe of hotel owners and customers to pay for an attraction that will benefit a specific subset of them (if that). Rather, the problem is the governance structure:
The Hospitality Alliance of North Carolina and the N.C. Hotel and Lodging Association want state appointees to run the proposed $137.5 million museum, rather than Charlotte officials.
Maybe state officials are more competent than city ones. Maybe not. That?s not the reason to be against government funding for yet-another would-be tourist attraction. Fiscal conservatives may have to take what they can get here, however.
