More Arlington tourism welcomed, needed

Hoteliers want more tourists in Arlington, and we can’t blame them.

Tourism is already a cornerstone of the city’s economy, but it still hasn’t escaped the shadows of Dallas and Fort Worth.

The City Council gave preliminary approval to a plan for raising more tourism funding with a new room rental fee at certain Arlington hotels. Final approval needs another vote.

“The hotels are doing well, and they want to do more,” City Manager Trey Yelverton told Star-Telegram reporter Robert Cadwallader. “The goal is to do more, make it bigger and strengthen our convention and tourism business.”

Hotels with 75 rooms or more are expected to charge a 2 percent fee.

The fee will create millions for the city, all to help bring more tourists to Arlington.

“It’s vital that we have these dollars being spent in our community to allow us to do more things for our community,” Councilwoman Sheri Capehart told Cadwallader.

This plan can help make Arlington’s tourist industry a heavy hitter in North Texas.

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 5:42 PM with the headline "More Arlington tourism welcomed, needed."