Columbus City Council voting on controversial 'ticket tax,' and future of Crew SC
FILE - Movie tickets. (WSYX/WTTE)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — Columbus City Council has two crucial votes Monday that will determine whether ticket prices for movies and events will rise, and if plans for a new Crew SC stadium will continue.
'Ticket Tax'
City Council members will decide if concert, sports and movie goers should pay more for tickets.
The "ticket tax" would be a five percent fee on the cost of the ticket. The fees would go towards Nationwide Arena maintenance and arts in the greater-Columbus community.
The tax would create an expected $3 million per year for Nationwide Arena maintenance and $6 million a year for the Greater Columbus Arts Council. The arts council would use the money to fund arts programs, education and events.
The tax would not affect Ohio State sporting events and tickets under $10.
New downtown stadium for Columbus Crew SC
Council members will also decide whether to move forward with plans for a new Columbus Crew SC stadium, converting the old stadium into a community sports park.
City Council will vote on a memorandum of understanding, which would be an agreement between the city, Franklin County, and the soon-to-be Crew SC owners. The memorandum is not quite a contract, but it is worth more than a handshake.
The expected cost of the stadium is $230 million, but city council says tax money wouldn't be spent to build it. The city and county would, however put $50 million each towards infrastructure and renovation on MAPFRE Stadium to create the Columbus Community Sports Park.
Should plans go through, expected opening of the new stadium would be 2021.