Public hearing held, renewal of Mobile Tourism Improvement District laid over until Feb. 18

The Mobile City Council opened a public hearing Feb. 4, 2025, on whether to continue, modify or terminate the Mobile Tourism Improvement District (TID). Multiple speakers representing the hotel and tourism sector asked the council to renew the district and outlined how the TID has been used.

Kent Blackington, speaking for the hotel community, said Mobile would be among the first cities in Alabama to renew a TID and that owner-assessed revenues have supported targeted marketing, including online travel agency (OTA) advertising. Blackington said more properties had signed on for the renewal than for formation and that 60 of 63 hotels in the district saw revenue attributable to the TID’s OTA ads during the district’s operation.

Margo (identified in the record as vice president of Lodging Corporation) and Fargo Gilbert described capital reinvestments and marketing work funded by the TID. Margo and Gilbert told the council that roughly 75% of TID funds go to marketing and that capital projects funded through the TID have included beautification and security investments at hotels and neighborhood amenities.

Council members thanked the hotel representatives and discussed the proposed renewal. After public comments, the council voted to lay the ordinance over until Feb. 18 for further consideration and to allow time for additional review.

The council did not adopt final action on the TID at this meeting; members instead scheduled the matter for further consideration on Feb. 18. The record shows the council suspended rules to consider the related ordinance and then approved the motion to lay the item over.