Cumberland Co. Eyes 1-percent Restaurant Tax For New Expo Center

Cumberland County has proposed a 1-percent restaurant privilege tax to help pay for a 45,000 square foot indoor expo center at the community complex.

County Commissioner Wendell Wilson said the entire project will cost an estimated $3.86 million to construct.

“This 1-percent restaurant tax will pay for what we need to have to make our payment on this bond issue,” Wilson said. “That bond issue has to have money locked in place every year and this will do it.”

Wilson said the county plans to request the state legislature to allow the tax to be implemented.

According to county officials, the facility would be used for sporting events, concerts, graduations, and other events.

“If you build it, we will feel it,” Wilson said. “Crossville, Cumberland County, and our business people know that this is something that could be vital for our economic impact.”

Wilson and County Mayor Kenneth Carey said the facility would also bring more tourism, new entertainment, and increases to revenue to both the city and county.

“This will be a shot in the arm for our business people. Sales tax revenue will increase and everyone will reap the benefits,” Wilson said. “We will have more hotels and motels come in if we bring the foot traffic. This will cause our businesses to increase and we will see new folks coming to us.”

Officials estimate the sales of the 16 county restaurants to be $59 million. The 1-percent tax would generate $590,000 a year.

“Is it worth having a venue like this in our county that can create jobs and increase our economic base for 1-percent?,” Wilson said.

The county is currently working to get the school board and Crossville City Council to support the 1-percent restaurant privilege tax. Wilson said having that support would increase the likelihood of state lawmakers allowing the tax.

“We are wanting this to be community involved. If we all support this, it won’t fail,” Wilson said. “It’ll take us all, but we can have better jobs here if we start looking ahead.”

The legislature would not consider the request until the 2019 session and if approved, the tax would not become effective until July of 2019.

Cumberland County Community Complex Director Donnie Moody said the complex was built in 1972 and is too small, limited on days for usage, and affected by weather.

“We need to provide a building that is adequately sized for commerce, events, and meetings,” Moody said. ”

If all goes as planned, Wilson said he hopes the new expo center would be completed in the latter part of 2020.