Tourism Promotion Dollars - Who Should Pay?

The Convention and Business Bureau for the Mt Pleasant MI area is being threatened by the possibility that the largest member of the coalition may pull its support out of the organization. Each participating hotel organization levies a two percent tax which is passed on to the convention bureau. Labelle Management is reported to own forty percent of the hotel rooms in the Mount Pleasant market. They may decide to withdraw their participation which would financially cripple the bureau.
Labelle's action may be a move to level the playing field. Recently a major hotel, formerly the Holiday Inn, was purchased by the Soaring Eagle Resort division of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. The tribe does not participate in the marketing coalition, thus the bureau lost a big chunk of change when the property changed hands. The other hotels in the area pass the two percent cash along to the bureau. If Labelle pulls out, the Mt Pleasant area will loose their travel and tourism marketing arm.
But will that mean an end to tourism? I doubt it. The Soaring Eagle Resort does a lot marketing. We hear their commercial on radio stations through out the state. Billboards along the highways surrounding Mt Pleasant promote concerts and other events coming to the resort. All of that attracts visitors to Mt Pleasant.
Its time for another change. Time for the bureau to close it doors.
What do you think?