Title
Body
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Carol J. Huchingson, County Administrative Officer
DATE: September 18, 2018
SUBJECT: (Continued from August 21, 2018 and August 7, 2018) - Consideration of Resolution Declaring the Results of the Majority Protest Proceedings and Establishing the Lake County Tourism Improvement District (LCTID) "Resolution of Formation"
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Staff have been working with local lodging businesses since fall 2017 to develop a Tourism Improvement District for Lake County (LCTID). On July 24, 2018 during the Public Hearing portion of this process, a group of local hoteliers who had previously provided written petitions of support for the LCTID submitted letters to withdraw their support and to express that they felt the proposed 3% assessment would be a detriment to their ability to book hotel rooms. As the Public Hearing is not a format for extended discussion, a continuance was requested to allow time for an analysis to be written and a presentation made to these hoteliers. The contribution of tourism to Lake County's economy is without question and the discussion of how to support and grow that economic generator is more important than ever in the wake of the devastating Mendocino Complex fire which occurred within peak tourism season.
BACKGROUND:
Lake County Tourism Improvement District (LCTID) is a benefit assessment district proposed to help fund marketing and sales promotion efforts for Lake County, Lakeport, and Clearlake lodging businesses. This approach has been used successfully in other destination areas throughout the state to improve tourism and drive additional room nights. The proposed LCTID includes all lodging businesses located within the boundaries of the cities of Lakeport and Clearlake and the unincorporated area of Lake County.
Hoteliers decided to pursue formation of the LCTID in order to create a dedicated revenue source devoted to marketing Lake County as a tourist, meeting, and ev...
Click here for full text