The Birmingham City Council approved a resolution Tuesday supporting an increase in the lodging tax rate by 3.5% to support the development of sports and entertainment facilities.
The city plans to use all or part of an occupational tax and two-thirds of annual lodging tax revenue to fund the development of a new four-star hotel under the Westin brand, according to a report from the city.
The 300-room, $50 million hotel will be built adjacent to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in downtown Birmingham and will be financed with bonds.
Mayor William Bell recently announced the addition of a new baseball stadium downtown, but details about its size and cost have not been released.
The resolution approved Tuesday by the City Council authorized Bell to negotiate details of the ballpark and hotel projects.
