🌎 Here's something that caught me by surprise, sort of. Hospitality / Hotel Taxes - Chicago, IL vs Charleston, SC (16% difference if my math close.)

[TerryP]

(It's actually 19.5% in Chicago, up from 17.5%)

I was skimming through national headlines and noticed the City Council in Chicago has voted to raise their toursism taxes. First off, I had no idea they were that high. Secondly, when realizing how high they were I was lost trying to figure out the logic. The idea of a city needing money, then charging people who are visiting more money to get said money, and the thought never crosses their minds people may choose to go somewhere else? On a decent $100 room (doubt they exist in Chicago) $20 a night may not seem like much. If you are in a convention setting and reserving 10 rooms?

All of this done under the guise of "they can opt in." Opt In, to a city sponsored program to improve the district and tourism or opt out and ... and what?

That's a story in and of itself, right.

What shocked me is this. I"m pretty sure it's 4% here: split between state and local. I've been to Chicago. I'm good. I don't have any desire to go back. But if I did and my choice of locations was partly dependent on how much it costs for rooms? Leaves me scratching my head in confusion.

 

[OldPlayer]

Your math is misapplied. The difference is 15.5 percentage points but the impact is greater. Let's use your $100 room as an example. The tax in Chicago would be $19.50. The tax in Charleston (your city) is $4.00. That's a 487.5% difference.

 

[sean]

I wouldn't go to Chicago for ANYTHING. Statistically, it's one of the worst cities as far as crime.

 

[TerryP]

Your math is misapplied. The difference is 15.5 percentage points but the impact is greater. Let's use your $100 room as an example. The tax in Chicago would be $19.50. The tax in Charleston (your city) is $4.00. That's a 487.5% difference.

How? That is what I posted yesterday; just in different terms. You mention the percentage difference. I implied that with mentioning the difference in one room for a convention and 10: $19.50 vs $190.50 if we're getting down to the math.

The dollar difference shocked me as much as the opt in / opt out choice for hotels who book tourist in an effort to improve tourism.

 

[TerryP]

I wouldn't go to Chicago for ANYTHING. Statistically, it's one of the worst cities as far as crime.

I do not regret the few days I spent in the area. Not in the least. There's plenty, A LOT, to see. But the catch with me is, "been there, done that." Understand, that's limited to land marks. If there was a big enough event, say like the World Expo, I might consider another trip...but then again, crowds. (Talk about being in Hell? They were projecting over 13 million when MN was bidding for this years event for four or five days. That's no longer my 'scene.')

 

[sean]

I do not regret the few days I spent in the area. Not in the least. There's plenty, A LOT, to see. But the catch with me is, "been there, done that." Understand, that's limited to land marks. If there was a big enough event, say like the World Expo, I might consider another trip...but then again, crowds. (Talk about being in Hell? They were projecting over 13 million when MN was bidding for this years event for four or five days. That's no longer my 'scene.')

I can't even imagine that many people. I work with 11 others in my department and I think that's already at the limit of how many people I want to to be around at any given time.