06/01/2010

The foresight of Texarkana, Texas City leadership over five years ago* in setting aside 2%
of hotel occupancy tax toward a convention center is soon to come to fruition with the
development of the Texarkana Convention Center and adjacent Hilton Garden Inn.  The
fact that the project will be funded through hotel occupancy tax without the investment
of  even  a  penny  of  taxpayer’s  money  is  phenomenal.    Former  Mayor  James  Bramlett
recalled,  “For  many  years,  the  Council  and  I  had  received  numerous  requests  from
citizens  to  consider  a  convention  center  for  Texarkana.    We  agreed  that  Texarkana
needed  a  quality  convention  center  and  began  the  process  in  2004  to  establish  a
dedicated fund from which a portion of the hotel taxes paid by visitors would go toward
a project like this in the future.”  Mayor Steve Mayo and the current Council agree and
commend them for their vision.

Read more about the announcement here.