Rep. Jeff Ellington files bill to double Monroe County innkeepers tax to 10%

Behind the bill is state Rep. Jeff Ellington, R-Bloomington, who filed the paperwork Friday, the deadline for lawmakers to request legislation to be considered during the upcoming session that will start Jan. 3.

His bill would increase the innkeepers tax from 5 percent up to 10 percent in order to fund the proposed convention center expansion and related costs of the project in downtown Bloomington.

Preliminary estimates show the expansion would cost $72 million, with $37 million of the project expected to be paid by the developer, who also wants to build an Embassy Suites near the convention center. Tourism and government officials say the expansion is necessary in order to increase tourism dollars at the convention center, also providing a boost to the area. From 2013 to 2017, the Monroe Convention Center turned down 470 events or roughly 93,000 attendees, according to consultants in a recent report shared at a county council meeting last month.

Ellington's move comes a few days before the 1 percent food and beverage tax proposal will be heard again by the Monroe County Council. The council is expected to vote Wednesday on whether the county should adopt the new tax.

While supportive of expanding the convention center, Ellington is not in favor of using a food and beverage tax to do so. The tax would apply to food sold in restaurants; food trucks; and prepared food items sold in grocery stores.