MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Residents in Manatee County could decide if the county's tourist tax increases from 5% to 6%.

Commissioners sought to vote on the increase Tuesday, but were notified by the Florida Department of Revenue that it must be passed through a referendum following new statutes implemented in 2023.

According to officials, the county is the first in the state to work through this change.

According to county officials, they anticipate the vote to take place in November, and if it passes, it could bring a minimum of $6 million to the county.

That money would be used for marketing attractions, such as museums and beaches. But at the same time, it will also help businesses.

Special event facilities such as Urban Loft at Manatee Central are just one of many that would get marketing from the extra revenue.

It’s an event space people can book.

“We host special events, weddings, birthday parties, corporate parties, you name it, we do it,” said sales and event manager Julia Linnenbrink. “We get a lot of our business from out-of-towners, you know, destination weddings and these types of events. It will help us directly by making the area more marketable.”

She says they average about four events every month, but more marketing could help boost their business.

“We are a smaller-scale venue, so we don’t have a huge budget for marketing. The majority of our business comes from word of mouth,” said Linnenbrink. “I’m excited for the extra revenue to be reinvested back into the community to help all of the local businesses, small businesses, to increase their revenue and visibility.”

It’s Linnenbrink’s passion to turn people’s ideas of an event into a reality. She hopes she can give more out-of-towners the same experience.

According to Spectrum Bay News 9’s digital partner, the Tampa Bay Times, 11 other counties in Florida, including Hillsborough and Pinellas, impose a 6% on short-term living and sleeping accommodations like hotels.

That percentage is the most allowed by state law.