Sisolak approves $5 hotel room surcharge to help fund Tahoe events center

STATELINE, Nev. — A bill that will increase the price of a Stateline hotel room by $5 to help pay for an events center at Lake Tahoe was recently signed into law by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak.

Senate Bill 461 was approved by the governor June 5 after being approved by the Nevada Legislature.

Tahoe-Douglas Visitors Authority Director Carol Chaplin said the surcharge represents the largest revenue source for the center and will allow them to move ahead with the planning process.

“We are appreciative of the state leadership who supported this legislation and recognized the potential economic impact to Douglas County through the proposed event center,” she said. “With this primary funding mechanism, derived from overnight visitor assessment, we can look forward to the revitalization of our tourism economy and our community.”

Authority supporters said the fee will only be levied within the Tahoe Township, which covers Douglas County's portion of the Tahoe Basin.

Several local businesses and organizations such as the Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority and the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce supported the legislation.

“The passage of Senate Bill 461 creates an important revenue stream, paid by overnight visitors to the Lake, that is necessary for a future multiuse event center,” Bill Chernock, executive director of the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce, said in a press release. “This is a major step in bringing us closer to diversifying our local economy that will benefit all of Douglas County.”

Another source of income to build the center is money generated by Redevelopment Area No. 2, which Douglas County commissioners are scheduled to discuss in Stateline on June 20.

The redevelopment area is being opposed by commissioners John Engels and Dave Nelson. Their argument is that the Stateline casinos should be paying for the events center instead of the redevelopment area.

The redevelopment area is estimated to generate $116 million in property tax revenue over its 30-year lifespan. About 40% of that would go to the county with the rest going to the Douglas County School District, the Tahoe Douglas Fire District and a variety of other taxing districts in Stateline.

Due to increased interest in Douglas County Redevelopment Area No. 2, the county has created a webpage to provide additional information related to the area. The webpage includes answers to Frequently Asked Questions and history of why, when and how RDA No. 2 was established.

In addition, the webpage contains links to RDA No. 2 related materials provided to the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners and the public for consideration since 2009.

Douglas County Redevelopment Area No. 2 was created in 2016 to aid the county in achieving a desired strategic planning goal to “work with local partners and stakeholders to initiate the development of a year-round conference/entertainment venue at Lake Tahoe (within Douglas County).”

View the website at bit.ly/DouglasRDA2.

Commissioners are scheduled to hear an item 1:30 p.m. June 20 board meeting.