Worthington visitors bureau to close, hand off duties

replaced by a mixed-use development expected to include a Hampton Inn & Suites and up to five other buildings containing offices and restaurants. With the Holiday Inn gone, Scott Barter, director of finance for the city, said that the Econo Lodge is the only remaining hotel in Worthington to provide bed-tax revenue.

According to records from the city, the Econo Lodge generated $26,796.74 in bed-tax revenue for 2017 as opposed to the Holiday Inn’s $158,638.40. The two hotels generated $185,435.14 for the year, and the CVB received $122,387.18 from the total amount.

For 2018, before it closed at the end of July, the Holiday Inn generated $81,813.49 in bed-tax revenue, according to city documents. The Econo Lodge has generated $13,294.66 through October. The revenue from both hotels is $95,108.15, and the CVB would receive $62,771.37 of that total.

The CVB has had an agreement to carry out the services of CVB’s executive director with the Old Worthington Partnership since June, which was set to run until December, according to Annina Parini, executive director of the Old Worthington Partnership.

“It’ll be quite transformational for our organization,” Parini said.

Council members expressed their support in working on the transition, and the city will be responsible for the redistribution of funds. The CVB board voted Nov. 2 to dissolve by the end of the year.