An organized opposition to the proposed conference center in Jefferson City has emerged and filed two notices stating an intent to begin the initiative petition process.
The Citizens Against Convention Center Committee filed two notices of intent with the city clerk's office Wednesday, intending to begin the initiative petition process to offer two potential ordinances to the City Council opposing the conference center.
Tim Stallman, Charles and Ann Gaskin, Jerome L. Knollmeyer and Glen Costales make up the committee and have filed the ordinances.
One ordinance would seek to eliminate the 4 percent lodging tax dedicated to conference center funding and stop the city from using any tax or public money for construction of a convention center.
The second ordinance would stop the city from using any tax or public money for the construction of a convention center, but would leave the 4 percent lodging tax in place.
The City Council is in the process of considering two proposals for a conference center, which would use $9 million in lodging tax contributions for construction of the facility. The two proposals are from Farmer Development, which would place the facility at the Capital Mall, and Ehrhardt Hospitality Group, which would use a West McCarty Street site.
Editor's note: For an updated and expanded report, see Organized opposition to conference center emerges posted Friday, Sept. 20.