Council approves resolution to create county tourism development authority 

 

TRYON—The Town of Tryon is in favor of the county trying for the second time to get a local bill approved, which would create a county Tourism Development Authority between the county, Tryon and Saluda.  

Tryon Town Council met Tuesday and approved the resolution. Polk County also recently approved moving forward with petitioning the state.  

Ollis told council the same bill last year fell at the state level.  

“It did not gain support in the previous year,” said Ollis. “The county wants support again to put forward another bill.”  

Commissioner Bill Crowell said the town is all on board with the bill and joining the county TDA.  

Last year the county, Saluda and Tryon approved an inter-local agreement and resolutions asking for legislation to approve the special district, but the act failed to pass.  

The county and two towns agreed last year to join tourism departments, where the county would be allowed to collect 6 percent occupancy tax in the unincorporated areas of the county as well as in Saluda and Tryon. Columbus did not want to join the new authority.  

In exchange, the county, Saluda and Tryon approved an inter-local agreement to give the towns 5-percent of each town’s occupancy tax. The towns’ benefit would be collecting 2-percent more in occupancy tax as they currently only collect 3 percent, as well as not having to administer collections of their own tax. If approved, the county will handle all collections of the occupancy tax.   

The county’s benefit will be collecting 6 percent of occupancy tax in the unincorporated areas of the county. Currently the county collects 3 percent occupancy tax in the entire county, including in Saluda and Tryon.  

Legislation did not approve any occupancy tax bills last year.