By the law of the State of Texas, the City of Seabrook collects a Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) from all lodging facilities located within the city limits. According to the law, revenue from the municipal hotel occupancy tax may be used only to promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry, and that use is limited to the following:
1. Convention Centers and Visitor Centers: the acquisition of sites for and the construction, improvement, enlarging, equipping, repairing, operation and maintenance of convention center facilities or visitor information center or both.
2. Registration of Convention Delegates: the furnishing of facilities, personnel and materials for the registration of convention delegates or registrants.
3. Advertising, Solicitation and Promotions: advertising and conducting solicitations and promotional programs to attract tourists and convention delegates or registrants to the municipality or its vicinity.
4. Promotion of the Arts: the encouragement, promotion, improvement and application of the arts; including instrumental and vocal music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, architecture, design and allied fields, painting, sculpture, photography, graphic and craft arts, motion pictures, radio, television, tape and sound recording, and other arts related to the presentation, performance, execution, and exhibition of these major art forms.
5. Historical Restoration and Preservation: historical restoration and preservation projects or activities or advertising and conducting solicitation and promotional programs to encourage tourists and convention delegates to visit preserved historic sites, museums or exhibits.
6. Sporting Event Expense: funding certain expenses, including promotional expenses, directly related to a sporting event within counties with a population under 1 million.
7. Sporting Facilities: enhancement or upgrading of existing sports facilities or sport fields for certain municipalities.
8. Transportation of Tourists: funding transportation systems for transporting tourists from hotels to and near the city to any of the following destinations:
a. the commercial center of the city
b. a convention center in the city
c. other hotels in or near the city
d. tourist attractions in or near the city
9. Directional Signage: signage directing the public to sights and attractions that are frequently visited within the municipality.
Priority will be given to those entities and/or special events based on their ability to directly promote tourism and the hotel industry in Seabrook; in other words, the ability to generate overnight visitors to the city. If an event will not generate hotel activity, it is not eligible for receipt of HOT funds, in addition all funding must be approved by Seabrook City Council. Entities must complete this application and provide documentation proving the ability to generate overnight visitors.
All receipts of HOT funds will be required to GIVE A POST EVENT PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL WITHIN SIXTY (60) DAYS AFTER THEIR EVENT. The presentation will highlight the success of the event, plus provide City Council with documents that give an overview of the event’s marketing efforts and a detailed outline of how HOT funds were utilize verifying the direct promotion of Seabrook tourism and the hotel industry. Recipients who do not give their POST EVENT PRESENTATION may not be eligible for future funding.
