Discussion today on Davis tax bonds

They may be used for center expansion

By Joseph M. Dougherty
Deseret Morning News
Published: Monday, July 10, 2006 10:35 p.m. MDT
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The Board of Davis County Commissioners plans to discuss issuing sales-tax-revenue bonds that would help finance a proposed expansion of the Davis Conference Center.

The commissioners expect to discuss the matter during their regular meeting today at 10 a.m. in Farmington.

Commissioner Dannie McConkie said that if the commissioners decide to go ahead with the proposed bonds, the county will hold public hearings before giving final approval.

"You can stop at any time, but you have to start it, so we're starting it," McConkie said.

The Davis Conference Center has seen unexpected growth and use of its facilities since it opened in 2004. An expansion may be built on adjacent land already owned by the county.

Commissioners, the county's economic-development director and the president of the Davis Area Conventions and Visitors Bureau want to expand the center and hope to eventually attract larger conventions, which require more exhibition space.

A feasibility study, concluded earlier this year, indicated the county would reap financial benefits from more conferencegoers in Davis County. The exhibit hall wasn't built at the same time as the conference center because the county couldn't afford it at the time, McConkie said in June.

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Commissioners hope to finance the conference-center expansion with money from the county's tourism fund and bonds, as well as a $500,000 grant from the state of Utah. In June, commissioners voted to increase a hotel-room tax from 3 percent to 4.25 percent. The new rate is expected to bring $815,000 a year into the tourism fund.

E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com

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