Brian Kaberline Editor Kansas City Business Journal
The owner of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown wants to form a community improvement district to finance half of a $32.8 million renovation.
Officials with Kansas City Downtown Hotel Group LLC are scheduled to discuss the request at Wednesday’s meeting of the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority. The LCRA owns the land beneath the Marriott and an underground garage, which are leased to KC Downtown Hotel Group.
The owner of the Marriott and Muehlebach hotel towers wants a special sales tax to help pay for renovations — much like a controversial request made for the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza.
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The owner of the Marriott and Muehlebach hotel towers wants a special sales tax to help… more
ANDREW GRUMKE | KCBJ
News of the request comes after another of the city’s prominent hotels, the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza, requested the formation of a CID to help finance a $16 million renovation. That request attracted considerable opposition because it required that the Country Club Plaza hotel be designated as blighted.
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A CID may collect as much as a 1-cent sales tax surcharge to improve conditions for existing businesses or to attract growth.
An item on the LCRA agenda states that the owner of the Marriott Downtown wants the city to finance half of the renovation to the Marriott and Muehlebach hotel buildings, using part of the convention and visitor sales tax. Revenue from the CID would offset these payments.
Project financing is under consideration by the city, according to the agenda.
The Kansas City Marriott Downtown ranks No. 1 on the Kansas City Business Journal’s Top Area Hotels List, with 983 rooms. Representatives of KC Downtown Hotel Group were not immediately available for comment.
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Brian leads the Kansas City Business Journal’s editorial staff.
