Polk County asked to pay for a $4.4 million Hilton hotel update

The big picture: The hotel's success could directly benefit the county.

• Ownership is expected to transfer to Polk County once the debt is paid off — likely around 2047.
• Supervisors say the update is needed to stay competitive in the regional hospitality market.

Catch up fast: The $101 million, 330-room hotel opened in 2018 using a complex arrangement of public and private money.

The intrigue: Supervisors also allocated $6 million in federal pandemic relief to help the hotel cover losses in 2021.

Driving the news: Representatives from IEC Hotel Corporation, the county's nonprofit, told supervisors this month that Hilton is requesting a "soft renovation" to update paint, carpet and furnishings.

• They propose using $1.7 million that the county earns annually from the hotel to cover the cost — money that has previously gone toward making early payments to Polk's initial $27 million debt associated with the project.
• The renovation is scheduled to take place in late 2026, with design work starting later this year.

What's Next: County supervisors are set to vote Tuesday on the proposal.