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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Clarksville is looking to step further into the arts and other cultures by creating a new Arts, Culture and Tourism Commission. The city announced the plan this week as a stepping stone to funding the new Clarksville Performing Arts Center.
State law prohibits cities from lending credit. The new authority board will operate as a legally independent entity from the city government and will be able to issue debt to pay for the project.
The board would have ownership of the performing arts center, but the city would be responsible for appointing board members. In addition to the Performing Arts Center, the Board is responsible for managing the arts and tourism and all city resources that flow to its facilities.
These form an event calendar of cultural events, highlight everything Clarksville has to offer, and help bring money to the city.
They collect revenue from the properties they operate and benefit from city and county hotel taxes. Assuming a 4% tourism-focused city hotel and motel tax, that’s about $2.2 million a year. The county’s hotel and motel tax is 8%, of which 12.5% goes to the city’s general fund. The county ratified a bill on July 9, 2018 that provides for approximately $650,000 in annual tourism funding for the city.
It is currently budgeted to fund the Customs Museum and Cultural Center.
The goal is for the authorities to become self-reliant. Upon launch, if the revenue that the city appropriates to the authority and the hotel/motel tax for the two categories are not sufficient, the authority may request financial assistance from the city. Cities can use non-property/ad valorem taxes to assist authorities.
If the board were to dissolve, its assets would be returned to the city. We will let you know if this moves forward and once we have that information we will decide who will be on the board.
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