OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - City officials are proposing a new program they say would help Omaha compete with other cities and attract more upper-scale hotels to the metro area.

The Hotel Occupation Tax Reinvestment Program would allow hotels to use their own hotel-tax revenue to pay for upfront costs such as buying land, building parking or extending utilities to build or renovate other hotels.

Hotels would be required to support city attractions and tourism and help develop the hospitality workforce to participate in the program. The program would not cover normal operating costs.

Program aims to strengthen tourism base

Marco Floreani with the mayor’s office economic development team said a stronger hotel base would help bring more visitors to Omaha.

“It’s where people often first go. When

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