Westfield Mayor Andy Cook said part of the financial plan for Grand Park is to be able to maintain the sports complex’s dominance in the United States.
Within five years, Cook said the park has become the No. 1 destination in the U.S. for youth travel sports.
“So, our next chapter, as far as financially, is to be sure that we have incoming funds of the amount we do not have today in order to reinvest in the capital needs of the park to keep its dominance in the family sports market,” Cook said.
To do that, Cook has approached Indianapolis city leaders to request some of the food and beverage tax dollars the city pays be returned to Westfield. The food and beverage tax was established in Westfield in 2005.
“It was optional to communities all around the Indianapolis area, the donut communities, where you would impose a 2 percent food and beverage tax,” Cook said. “One percent is kept in the community and 1 percent is sent to the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board. The philosophy was the donut counties would and do benefit from the convention and sports activities that take place in downtown Indianapolis. Therefore, we have contributed, as Westfield residents, to building Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Victory Field, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Convention Center and all the tubes that connect them. It’s made Indianapolis not only a huge sports venue, but three years ago, (Indianapolis) was ranked as the No. 1 destination as a convention city in America.”
Cook out-of-state visitors for Grand Park are spending dollars in Indianapolis.
“With Grand Park, especially, we have turned the tables in that. Rather than Marion County events placing people in Hamilton County for hotels and restaurants, Grand Park now extensively places visitors in Marion County on a pretty consistent basis,” Cook said. “So, I am proposing that a portion of our 1 percent tax be returned to Westfield.”
If returne, the funds would be used for capital projects around Grand Park.
Cook appeared in front of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee last month to make the proposal. He said the process may take up to two years.
“I’m not talking about a new tax here. I’m just talking about reallocating funds that should be allocated for the purpose intended,” Cook said. “It’s just the location of those needs has changed. I’m looking at just to get it introduced because next year I would like to hit this hot and heavy.”
Cook said prior to the creation of Grand Park, Westfield’s annual food and beverage share was $300,000. Five years later, the share is $1 million.
Cook wants to see $400,000 to $500,000 returned to Grand Park.
If his proposal is rejected, he plans for Westfield to establish its own capital improvements board to pursue the goal more formally.
