About the Ingham County Tourism, Entertainment Facilities, and Arts Proposal 

On the August 4 primary election ballot, Ingham County voters will be asked to decide whether to increase the county's hotel tax, which is paid by visitors who stay overnight in local hotels, motels, short-term rentals, and other accommodations. 

Currently, Ingham County charges a 5% hotel tax on stays of fewer than 30 days. If approved by voters, the proposal would increase that tax to 8%, as permitted under a state law passed in 2024. 

The official ballot proposal asks voters whether Ingham County should increase the hotel tax collected from visitors to improve convention facilities, modernize the county fairgrounds, promote the arts, and attract tourists and capital investments to the county.  

Residents Don’t Pay This Tax - Visitors Do 

• The August 4 ballot proposal is a rare opportunity to generate real public investment at no cost to Ingham County residents. Visitors who enjoy everything our region has to offer help fund the things that make it worth visiting in the first place. 
• The hotel tax is charged to overnight guests at Ingham County hotels and motels, so residents won’t pay a single cent more. 
• The increase is a modest three percentage points. On a $130 hotel room, that’s about $4 a night. It won’t deter any travelers from visiting our region. 

This Investment Makes Our Region More Competitive 

• Choose Lansing – the region’s official destination marketing organization – works every day to bring conventions, sporting events, corporate travel, and leisure visitors to this region, competing against cities across the Midwest for that business. Funding matters. 
• Communities with stronger tourism marketing budgets win more events and more overnight visitors. Those visitors spend money at local restaurants, shops, and attractions. The hotel tax directly fuels that economic engine. 

Real Dollars for Real Community Assets 

• The new revenue doesn’t disappear into a general fund. It goes towards the work of promoting Ingham County as a destination and investing in the community assets that make those events possible, like convention and event facilities, sports complexes, and the county fairgrounds.  
• These investments in tourism are also investments in our community, as Ingham County residents use and love these assets too. 
• Better facilities attract bigger events, and bigger events fill hotel rooms, restaurants, and parking lots. That economic activity ripples across the whole county. This ballot proposal provides the resources to compete at the level Greater Lansing deserves. 

Official Ballot Language 

Ingham County Tourism, Entertainment Facilities, and Arts Proposal 

To improve convention facilities, modernize the County Fairgrounds, promote the arts, attract tourists and capital investments to the County, and other activities specified by Public Act 263 of 1974, as amended, shall the County be permitted to increase the tax collected from visitors who stay less than 30 days at hotels and similar accommodations, from the present level of 5%, to 8%, for such purposes?  

Visitors Generate Vital Economic Impact 

Did you know...

• The region welcomes over 6.7 million visitors each year, generating over $732 million in economic impact for mid-Michigan?
• Visitors to Greater Lansing generate nearly $28 million in sales tax for the State of Michigan each year.
• The hospitality and tourism industry supports over 9,500 jobs in the region.
• Choose Lansing^®  is the local organization that actively recruits those millions of visitors. Without those efforts visitors may spend those critical dollars outside of the mid-Michigan region.

Who Is Choose Lansing^®?

Choose Lansing^® is the Destination Marketing Organization for the mid-Michigan region. We are a Destinations International (DI) accredited nonprofit organization focused on bringing visitors to Ingham, Clinton, and Eaton counties. We have a 65+-year history as an economic catalyst for the hospitality industry in the region. Choose Lansing's^® budget is primarily funded from marketing assessments, occupancy taxes and membership dues.

What Does Choose Lansing^® Do? 

Choose Lansing is the ultimate hype squad and economic catalyst for the hospitality and tourism industry in the Greater Lansing area. 

• Promote Leisure Visitation - Showcases the region's best assets to draw in road-trippers and weekend visitors. 
• Attract Meetings & Conventions - Works directly with event planners to bring professional conferences and large-scale meetings to local venues and hotels.
• Host Sports Tournaments - The Lansing Sports Commission focuses on bringing amateur athletic competitions and regional tournaments to the area.
• Supports Local Businesses - Helps local hospitality businesses, hotels, restaurants, attractions, and venues grow by connecting them directly with incoming visitors. 
• Destination Development - Actively partner with stakeholders to help create transformational projects to benefit visitors and residents.