Updated: Critics of Subsidized Convention Center Hotel Will Seek Referral

Oregon Convention Center

Opponents of the proposed $200 million Hyatt hotel adjacent to the Oregon Convention Center said today they will refer the question of whether the hotel will be built with an $80 million public subsidy to county voters next year.

The news comes after a vote today by the Multnomah County commission to make technical changes to the way visitor taxes are allocated. Metro, which operates the Oregon Convention Center, is the primary proponent of the hotel but the City of Portland and Multnomah County both need to approve the transaction because all three governments share in the proceeds of visitor taxes. The public money slated for the deal comes from a form of financing new to Portland: rather than going into government coffers, the visitor taxes generated at the hotel will go to repay money Metro will borrow to help finance construction.

Here's the statement released by the opponents the Coalition for Fair Budget Priorities. The coalition consists primarily of downtown hoteliers who object to subsidized competition,

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