Cleveland tourism agency fights for tax funding

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland’s tourism agency has begun a marketing campaign more focused on bringing in funding than out-of-town visitors.

Positively Cleveland — formerly known as the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland — is trying to avoid losing tax money to a proposed $425 million convention center and medical trade show space.

The agency is pressing elected officials to allow it to keep receiving $6.6 million annually from a hotel tax.

Cuyahoga County officials have suggested diverting the money to help with the publicly funded, privately run medical mart project downtown.

County Commissioner Tim Hagan questions whether the tourism agency should continue to receive the subsidy with the county facing a budget deficit.