Board approves $750K for West Haymarket improvements

 8 comment(s)  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

By JEAN ORTIZ / Lincoln Journal Star

The Lancaster County Board unanimously approved Mayor Chris Beutler’s request to use $750,000 in lodging taxes on West Haymarket improvement efforts.

The money will fund a list of studies the city needs as it makes its way toward next spring’s public vote on a proposed arena.

In total, the preliminary work is expected to cost $3 million, said Kent Morgan, the city’s assistant planning director. 2015 Vision, a group of private business leaders, committed $1.65 million. The city will contribute $600,000.

[+]Enlarge

Chris Beutler

Chris Beutler

Related Media

The story so far: A new arena

More than three years ago, a group of Lincoln leaders began talking seriously about the prospect of building a new events arena to replacing the city'...

Comments: 0

Rated:

The County Board’s vote Thursday follows a recommendation earlier this month by the Visitors Promotion Committee. The committee, made up of community members with ties to tourism, is responsible for offering input to the county on how it should spend lodging tax collections.

Commissioner Deb Schorr’s voice wavered as she talked about her daughter, who as part of a Leadership Lincoln youth project, had to pick an important topic to talk about involving the future.

She picked the arena.

“To me, it’s very important,” she said.

Commissioner Ray Stevens said he’d prefer the money not go toward efforts tied to the arena, a private hotel project and road infrastructure. He’d rather the money be spent on other West Haymarket improvements, including plans for indoor and outdoor recreation areas.

Commissioner Larry Hudkins also raised the point the board needs to take care not to deplete the pot.

Thursday’s decision will draw down about half the amount of collected lodging taxes. That pot draws $800,000 to $900,000 annually.

The county has approved only one other large funding request — $500,000 last summer for an expansion project at the Lancaster Event Center.

Reach Jean Ortiz at 473-7107 or jortiz@journalstar.com.