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Kent County dedicates lodging tax revenue to downtown amphitheater and Amway Stadium projects
Summary
Board Chair Ben Green said the Kent County Board of Commissioners voted to direct lodging excise tax revenues to support the Hampshire Amphitheatre and Amway Stadium projects; city of Grand Rapids will issue bonds and use revenue sharing to repay debt.
Ben Green, chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners, said the county recently voted to dedicate lodging excise tax revenue to two publicly owned projects: the Hampshire Amphitheatre and Amway Stadium.
Green said the Hampshire Amphitheatre will be a 12,000-seat venue on the downtown riverfront, scheduled to open in May 2026; county projections cited at the event estimate the venue will draw more than 300,000 visitors to 54 concerts and cultural events each year and generate $807,000,000 in economic impact over 30 years. Green said the Amway Stadium is designed to bring professional soccer and related events, with a first professional match expected in 2027; county estimates presented at the event forecast more than 164,000 visitors to 73 events per season and $388,000,000 in economic impact over 30 years.
Green said the city of Grand Rapids will issue bonds for both venues and use a revenue sharing agreement in which a portion of Kent County’s lodging tax is directed to the city to help pay the construction bonds. He described the funding structure as designed to protect taxpayers while allowing new tourism and private investment to flow into the community. Green said the funding decisions followed debate and fiscal planning and aimed to produce long-term community benefits.
No vote details or bond terms were provided in the State of the County remarks; Green framed the investments as part of a broader economic development strategy.
