Davis board says no to museum funding

FARMINGTON — The Davis County Tourism Tax Advisory Board is recommending that county commissioners not pledge $50,000 toward the construction of a history museum for southern Davis County.

The board, which is set up to vet such requests for tourism funds, was unanimous Wednesday in recognizing the value the museum will have for the cities of southern Davis County, but couldn't support it financially.

In a letter to county commissioners, the board said it didn't believe the museum would stimulate additional economic development in the area.

Tourism revenue is collected from special taxes on restaurants, hotel rooms and vehicle rentals in Davis County.

In 2008, the tourism fund collected about $4.2 million and is on pace to collect about $3.9 million in 2009.

Tourism revenue is used to fund the Davis Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the county's marketing arm. The revenue was used to build the Davis Conference Center and its accompanying exhibit hall. The bureau runs the Legacy Events Center, formerly known as the Davis County FairPark, and other tourism events in the county.

Recently, Davis County commissioners approved a $2 million request from Centerville and Bountiful officials, who teamed up to build the Davis Cultural Arts Center in Centerville.

Currently, the South Davis History Museum and Archives, which is slated to be built in Bountiful, is a little more than halfway to its fundraising goal of $2 million. It will feature the history of Bountiful, Centerville, North Salt Lake and Woods Cross.

The $50,000 request from the museum would pay for a "Davis County History Board Room," where members of the future History Coordinating Council could meet to plan historical events for the area.

Tourism tax advisory board member Craig Shiner called it a great project but said it needs to receive funding elsewhere.

"It doesn't fit the parameters of tourism tax dollars," Shiner said.

Tourism revenues, according to Utah law, must be spent on ways to promote tourism in the area in which they are collected, said Davis County Commissioner Louenda Downs.

"We have to follow very religiously the way this was set up," Downs said, adding that she expects to have to defend the tourism taxes to the Utah Legislature one day.

"There are many worthwhile projects I wish there were more ways to embrace and support," she said.

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