SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — After a five-year legal battle, a plan to tax hotels to fund improvements to the San Diego Convention Center is finally moving forward, with some calling it a big win for the tourism industry.
San Diego runs on tourism the same way cars run on gas. Big tourist events like Comic-Con are major drivers for San Diego's economy, and without the San Diego Convention Center, the convention wouldn't be possible.
"It's so critical that we invest in our tourism infrastructure to ensure that these big events keep coming to San Diego year after year," said Shawn Vandiver, chairman of the San Diego Convention Center.
Measure C aims to increase the transient occupancy tax, which is a tax on hotel rooms. The city expects that money to generate around $82 million in 2026.
"Measure C provides funding for us to renew our infrastructure, to invest in improvements to our building here at the San Diego Convention Center," Vandiver said.
When it was first put on the ballot in 2020, it needed two-thirds of the votes to pass but fell short. Five years later, the Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court ruling which said the 65 percent of San Diegans who supported Measure C in 2020 was enough for it to pass.
Now the city can begin securing funds for Convention Center upgrades.
"This is a 2.6 million square foot facility. We have major needs, major infrastructure needs that we need to invest in. Our electrical system, our heating and cooling systems," Vandiver said.
In May, that same hotel tax went up. Hotels closest to the Convention Center will have a higher tax, while those further away will pay less.
The general manager for the Marriott Gaslamp Quarter supports the measure.
"We're again happy to see that it's progressing," said Jeffrey Burg, general manager of Marriott San Diego Gaslamp Quarter.
Burg says the tax is added to the customer's bill. Since the increase, there haven't been any complaints.
"We have not had any issues from any of our guests since it was rolled out just a couple of months ago," Burg said.
He agrees that investing in the Convention Center is a big win.
"As long as it stays true to the Measure C thoughts, then that's gonna be great," Burg said.
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