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Five months into its first year of operations, officials at the Greater Williamsburg Sports and Events Center say attendance has exceeded projections. But they say the real test will be in how successful it is next year in driving visitors to local hotels and restaurants.
The center was never expected to be more than a break-even operation.
It was sold to local communities as an economic development engine that would bring in visitors to hotels, restaurants and retailers in the three communities that own it through the Historic Triangle Recreational Facilities Authority: Williamsburg, James City County and York County.
Williamsburg guaranteed the majority of funding for the $80 million facility, built on land leased from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation near its Visitor Center. The two counties will subsidize operating losses to the tune of $1.6 million a year in the first two years, using money from the 1 percentage point tourism tax added to sales taxes in the area.
Local governments must spend half of their receipts from the so-called “Tommy Tax” -- named for its sponsor, former Senator Thomas K. Norment -- on tourism marketing.
Dana Creech Youst, executive director of HTRFA, said hotel bookings next year will be a good measure of how successful the center is.