Council wants say in tourism marketing

City Council yesterday held up a bill that would fund $90 million in cost overruns at the Convention Center with a hike in the hotel tax, as some Council members seek greater input over the workings of the city's chief marketing agency.

Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco's bill would increase the city's hotel tax from 14 percent to 15.2 percent, with nearly half of the new revenue going to defray unanticipated construction costs at the $790 million Convention Center expansion.

The rest of the revenue would be split between the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp. (GPTMC), which markets the city, and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is focused on convention business. Each would receive almost $2 million annually.

But Councilman Darrell L. Clarke asked that the legislation be held yesterday as he sought greater say in the makeup of the GPTMC board. Meryl Levitz, president and chief executive officer of GPTMC, said the board had this week formalized an appointed position on the board for City Council. Levitz said she thought the matter was settled.

Clarke said Council wanted "a little more oversight" on the board since it was allotting significant dollars to the organization. But Clarke would not say whether the dedicated Council appointee on the 14-member board would be enough. Clarke said he hoped to pass the legislation next week.

The tax increase would amount to an average of $1.40 per night more for each hotel guest. It would go into effect July 1.

The expanded Convention Center is expected to open in early 2011.

In other business, Council unanimously passed Councilman James F. Kenney's resolution urging Major League Baseball to hold at least one day game during the World Series. One of the Phillies' World Series games ended after 1 a.m.

"In order to ensure the next generation of baseball fans, we need to enable kids to have the ability to watch a World Series game . . . without it having to go beyond 12 o'clock at night."

Kenney said he would send the resolution to cities around the country, seeking similar resolutions.

"Maybe we can build a little bit of a groundswell to have them consider this," Kenney said.