Final approval of an ordinance to increase the local Inkeeper’s Tax was passed Tuesday.

At their regular monthly meeting, the Knox County Council approved 2nd and 3rd readings of the ordinance increasing the tax to 8%.

That comes after the state legislature approved the increase.

The tax is on the rental of rooms and accommodations for less than 30 days and does not affect local residents.

That 8% amounts to about $2.40 more per night for guests at local hotels and other lodging facilities.

County Attorney Drew Porter commented that most counties in the state have an 8% inkeeper’s tax and Knox County has been lagging a bit behind.

The extra funds generated by the tax would be used to look at bringing more sports tourism to the area through the creation of a sports park.

We recently interviewed the Executive Director of the Vincennes Knox County Tourism Bureau, Janice Barniak who told us one of the goals of that project is help draw more visitors to  Vincennes…

Barniak says the new revenue generated by the tax would not be enough for construction of a sports tournament venue but could be used for a feasibility study and for upkeep and maintenance after it was built.