Collier County voters will decide in November whether to raise the tourist tax to fund the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
Voters will be asked to increase the tax from 5% to 6%.
The proposed “sixth penny” could raise the $40 million to $50 million needed to complete the county-owned sports complex, off Collier Boulevard, near Interstate 75 in East Naples.
Last summer, county commissioners decided to put the measure on the ballot.
If approved, the tax increase is expected to generate about $10 million annually, starting on Jan. 1, 2027.
The build-out of the sports complex would include more fields and a field house that could double as an emergency shelter, particularly for hurricanes.
The expansion could add five softball and six baseball diamonds.
Under state law, Collier County can’t lobby for or push for the penny increase in any way, but it can act as a neutral source for information. To that end, the county has announced a series of public meetings to provide information and answer questions about the proposal.
The public meetings will be held at 12 spots around the county from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dates and locations are as follows:
Monday, Aug. 24 – North Collier Regional Park (15000 Livingston Road)
Thursday, Aug. 27 – South Regional Library (8065 Lely Cultural Parkway)
Monday, Aug. 31 – UF/IFAS Collier Extension (14700 Immokalee Road)
Wednesday, Sept. 2 – Headquarters Library (2385 Orange Blossom Drive)
Wednesday, Sept. 9 – Golden Gate Community Center (4701 Golden Gate Parkway)
Monday, Sept. 14 – Max Hasse Park (3390 Golden Gate Boulevard West)
Wednesday, Sept. 16 – Naples Regional Library (650 Central Avenue)
Thursday, Sept. 24 – Collier Clerk Heritage Bay Office (15450 Collier Boulevard)
Monday, Sept. 28 – Naples Park Association Clubhouse (654 104th Avenue North)
Wednesday, Sept. 30 – Marco Island Community Room (51 Bald Eagle Drive)
Tuesday, Oct. 6 – Fire Station #32 (5368 Useppa Drive)
Thursday, Oct. 15 – Immokalee Community Park (321 North First Street)
Two or more county commissioners may attend and participate in the meetings.
The tax increase would apply to short-term stays of six months or less at hotels, motels and vacation rentals.
The county collects the tax to fund destination marketing, beach maintenance, and other tourism-related attractions and activities.
Tourism leaders, along with other business leaders, have advocated for the 1% tax increase, emphasizing that it would be paid by visitors — not local residents — and it would bring Collier County more in line with competing Florida destinations.
Twelve other counties in the state have qualified for and are currently collecting a 6% tax, including Sarasota, Pinellas, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
To qualify for a 1% — or “penny” — increase, a county must reach the “High Tourism Impact” status under Florida law, which requires collecting more than $30 million in tourist taxes a year. Collier County achieved that status in 2025.
Collier Commissioner Burt Saunders pitched the idea of a tax increase, saying it could hugely improve the county’s ability to attract more sports teams and visitors in the offseason, particularly in the quieter months of June, July and August.
Over the years, the sports and entertainment park has faced many challenges, from cost overruns to supply chain issues, with a lot of mistakes made, but a lot of lessons learned, he said.
“We have what I believe to be a real gem of a park. It’s just not finished,” Saunders said.
For those who don’t want to attend or can’t attend any of the planned informational meetings, more about the proposed tourist tax increase can be found at CollierTDT.com.
Laura Layden is a business and government reporter. Reach her by email at laura.layden@naplesnews.com.
Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Collier County to hold meetings on tourist tax hike for sports complex
Reporting by Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
