April 25--Step by step, Monroe County officials continue to move toward expanding the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center.

They're on the right path.

A 1 percent food and beverage tax would be key to funding the expansion.

State legislators passed a request to allow county government to approve such a tax, and the county council now is debating the details.

Talk this week was about creating an interlocal agreement with city government on the tax and thus the project.

Those who favor the tax see widespread benefits with an expanded convention center. The current center is the smallest in Indiana and can't accommodate many larger groups that would prefer to come to Bloomington but wind up elsewhere.

What they take with them is $233 a day per visitor for an average stay of 2.5 days, according to Mike McAfee, director of Visit Bloomington, the office charged with promoting the convention and tourism qualities of Bloomington and Monroe County. This community is missing out on that, multiplied by thousands of potential visitors, because of the lack of adequate convention space.

Who would benefit from that money?

Restaurants, bars and attractions in the downtown area close to the expanded convention center; a new hotel expected to be built along with the expansion, and other places to stay downtown; retailers, grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations where visitors would stop and shop; arts groups, music venues and attractions that would entice those attending a convention -- maybe even as part of a convention.

Meeting planners might well include a trip to Oliver Winery, a performance at the Buskirk-Chumley or a day on Lake Monroe for their participants.

Property taxes captured by a new hotel or other businesses that would build nearby would be a positive.

Also, the expanded center would need more employees, and so would the hotel, which would put people to work. And before they could start, there would be a year or more worth of local construction jobs.

Some critics of the tax and expansion say the jobs -- except for the construction jobs -- would be mostly in the low-paying service sector. But those in the community who don't have jobs would be given an opportunity to work.

Other critics say this might be good for downtown Bloomington, but the tax won't help anyone outside of that. True, most of the benefit would be centered there, but bringing more visitors to the county would help the economy for all.

And finally, consider that the tax would be on what essentially is a luxury -- dining out. A person who spends $5 for lunch at a fast-food restaurant would pay an extra nickel.

The family going out for a $60 dinner for four would pay an extra 60 cents. And the couple splurging for a $100 night out would pay an extra buck. Those who buy groceries for home would pay nothing.

The benefits for the majority outweigh those costs.

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