Clermont County commissioners OK hotel tax increase for FC Cincinnati training facility

MILFORD, OH (FOX19) - Clermont County commissioners voted Wednesday to move forward with their part of a deal to bring FC Cincinnati's training space to Milford.

The commissioners approved a 1 percent hotel tax increase, bumping that hotel tax up to 7 percent. They say the money that comes from the increase will help fund the facility.

PHOTOS: FC Cincinnati unveils renderings for 23.6-acre Milford training complex

The decision to move forward with their part of the deal took commissioners about 15 minutes during a Wednesday morning meeting.

"I think this is good for the City of Milford, citizens of Clermont County and all citizens." said commissioner David Uible.

Uible says an impressive part of the deal is the economic incentives the county will feel -- but not everyone sees it that way.

"I think it's a bad deal," said county resident Chris Hicks, who attended the meeting.

He told commissioners he wanted to know how the deal makes economic sense. Hicks questioned commissioners on why, he claims, no one negotiated this deal on behalf of taxpayers and why Milford residents will be stuck to foot the remainder of the bill. He says the hotel hotel tax won't cover their part of the bill, which FOX19 has learned will cost between $43,000 to $47,000.

How that amount is paid back and over what amount of time, FOX19 is told, is up to the city of Milford.

But the process isn't done yet. The Clermont County Port Authority has a meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon regarding the facility. FOX19 will continue to follow this story.

Copyright 2018 WXIX. All rights reserved.