A large county may use this tax revenue only for listed tourism and public-improvement purposes, coordinate promotion with the largest city, and use a contract if it delegates spending authority to a private organization.
Sec. 352.101. USE OF REVENUE IN POPULOUS COUNTIES. (a) The revenue from a tax imposed under this chapter by a county having a population of more than 3.3 million may be used only for: (1) the acquisition of sites for and the construction, improvement, enlarging, equipping, repairing, operation, and maintenance of public improvements such as civic centers, civic center buildings, auditoriums, exhibition halls, coliseums, and stadiums, including sports and other facilities that serve the purpose of attracting visitors and tourists to the county, and parking areas or facilities for the parking or storage of motor vehicles or other conveyances, hotels owned by a municipality or a nonprofit municipally sponsored local government corporation created under Chapter 431, Transportation Code, within 1,000 feet of a convention center owned by a municipality with a population of 1,500,000 or more, or a historic hotel owned by a municipality or a nonprofit municipally sponsored local government corporation created under Chapter 431, Transportation Code, within one mile of a convention center owned by a municipality with a population of 1,500,000 or more; (2) the furnishing of facilities, personnel, and materials for the registration of convention delegates or registrants; and (3) general promotion and tourist advertising of the county and its vicinity and conducting a solicitation program to attract conventions and visitors, any of which may be conducted by the county or through contracts with persons or organizations selected by the county. (b) A county having a population of more than 3.3 million shall endeavor to coordinate its promotional and advertising activities conducted under authority of Subsection (a)(3) with the city having the largest population in the county. (c) A county to which this section applies may delegate the authority to spend the county's hotel occupancy tax revenue to a private organization only through a contract. The contract must require the organization to select a new governing body as soon as practicable after the contract takes effect and to limit the composition of its governing body to not more than 54 members, and provide that the appointment, election, or other designation of each member of the governing body be submitted to and approved by the governing body of the county as long as the contract is in effect. The contract is not valid unless before the contract is executed the private organization amends its charter, bylaws, or other governing rules to conform to the requirements of this subsection. (d) Subsection (c) does not apply to any private entity, person, or organization that receives tax revenue under Section 351.101(a) and makes expenditures pursuant to Section 351.101(a)(4). Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 191, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 14.26(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1110, Sec. 14, eff. Oct. 1, 1989; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 231, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 30.275, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, Sec. 127, 128, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.