Northport To Consider “Pay to Play” Hotel Fee Tonight

The Northport City Council Agenda for this evening's 5:30 meeting includes a resolution authorizing the City Administrator to enter into a "Pay-To-Play" Distribution Agreement with Northport Sports Complex Development, LLC.

If passed, the resolution would allow the City of Northport to collect an $11 fee for hotel rooms booked for certain sports tourism arrangements associated with tournaments and events at the new River Run Park, located west of downtown near the William Bacon Oliver Lock and Dam.

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"Pay to Play" or "Stay to Play" systems are mandatory booking policies primarily used in youth sports tournaments and travel team games. Teams and families are required to book rooms through designated housing partners or portals to participate in an event. The city and tournament operators typically then receive a portion of the revenue generated from those bookings.

The system is not without critics, mainly parents, who complain they often must pay above the going rate for a room. Families often face strict deadlines and fees even if they are eliminated from the event early, or a player falls ill, and families generally cannot use their hotel loyalty numbers to earn rewards points.

Proponents claim it helps tournaments pay expenses. They say entry fees and concessions all contribute to the tournament's money, but often don't cover all expenses.

The city entered into an exclusive agreement with the newly-formed Northport Sports Complex Development, LLC last year.

In other council business tonight:

• The council has scheduled a vote on a funding agreement with the Tuscaloosa County Road Improvement Commission for right-of-way acquisitions connected to the SR-69 and US-82 corridor improvements. The reimbursement agreement could total up to $2 million.
• With car washes seemingly popping up everywhere, the council will consider a contract with KPS Group for a land use impact study related to the city’s temporary moratorium on new car washes and automobile repair businesses.

A hearing on the proposed Big Mike’s steakhouse development has been rescheduled to June 11.