The local ballot measure of most interest to the hotel and hospitality communities will be Proposition A in Dallas. This ballot measure seeks voter approval to increase the hotel occupancy tax by two percent in support of expanding the Convention Center and making improvements to the city’s historic Fair Park.
If approved by voters, the new Convention Center is expected to catapult Dallas into the top tier of convention centers in the country and help Fair Park keep the Texas OU game as well as host large events such as the World Cup in 2026.
Construction on the Convention Center is projected to begin in 2024 with an expected completion date of 2029. Improvements at Fair Park would begin in 2024 with most being completed in time for the start of the North American 2026 World Cup games.
Short-term rental issues continue around North Texas. The latest city to take up the issue is Plano following complaints in that city of misuse of short-term rentals for illegal purposes. Like Dallas, Plano is expected to adopt regulations that would require the registration of STR’s in the city as well as to pay hotel occupancy taxes. Irving, earlier this year, toughened its short-term rental regulations to require registration and the payment of hotel occupancy taxes.
Texas-OU draws another big crowd to the State Fair. More than 200,000 people attended the State Fair this year on Texas—OU Saturday, October 8. It is the largest attendance day at the Fair, generating millions of dollars in economic benefit to Dallas and the entire North Texas region.
