PHOTO: The proposed renovations to the Victoria Community Center will include a covered event arena, an expo hall, fairground improvements and other site improvements.
Victoria voters will get to decide on a funding measure in May that will help finance the renovation of the Victoria Community Center without impacting property taxes.
The Victoria City Council called a special election at its Feb. 4 meeting for the creation of a vehicle rental tax and hotel occupancy tax to help fund improvements at the Community Center.
The special election will be held May 3 and will appear on the same ballot as the joint general election for mayor and City Council.
About the project
The City of Victoria is proposing a renovation project up to $35 million for the Community Center, which would improve the venue’s capacity to host livestock shows, rodeos, concerts, recreational athletic events and larger conventions, as well as local events such as church festivals, weddings and quinceañeras.
These improvements would include:
- A new, up-to-3,000 fixed-seat covered event arena, which could be used for rodeos and equestrian events as well as concerts and other entertainment offerings. Seating capacity could increase to 4,500 for concert events.
- Conversion of the existing arena into an exhibition hall that could also be used for recreational athletic events and increase capacity to host larger conferences/exhibitions when coupled with the existing dome.
- Renovation of the existing dome that would relocate and enhance the stage and green room areas and could attract more events and activities.
- Improvements to the fairgrounds that include adding RV hook ups, lighting and permanent outdoor restroom facilities.
- Other general updates to the existing building, including air and heating, technology and the addition of breakout rooms.
- Other general site improvements, including improved parking, lighting and circulation flow
What’s on the ballot?
The proposed venue tax would be paid exclusively by visitors staying in Victoria hotel rooms and anyone renting a car. The venue tax would consist of the following:
- A 2% hotel occupancy tax on overnight hotel room stays (in addition to the City’s existing 7% hotel occupancy tax)
- A 5% short-term motor vehicle tax on car rentals
Neither of these elements will impact residents’ property taxes.
The new revenue will make up approximately $11 million of the total project cost. Other funding sources for the project will primarily include certificate of obligation bonds from the City’s existing capital improvement plan, sales tax funds from the Victoria Sales Tax Development Corporation and existing City hotel occupancy tax dollars.
Stay connected
For information about how to vote in Victoria, visit www.vctxelections.org.
To learn more about the venue project, visit www.victoriatx.gov/communitycenter.