FAQ        Testimonials        Ordinance and Resolution        About Visit Stillwater        Sample Ballot

Visitor Tax History

1980 – Proposed 3% Hotel Room Tax did not pass

1985 – Proposed 4% Hotel Room Tax passed

Difference within the ballot language:

• Created a Visitors and Special Events Board

• Created a special/restricted fund

• Provided for use of funds:

  • Funds collected pursuant to the provisions of this article shall be set aside and used exclusively for the purpose of encouraging, promoting and fostering conventions, conferences, and tourism development in the city, and shall be allocated as follows:
    ​
    • 75% of the net proceeds shall be used for the promotion and solicitation of visitor attractions, events, tourism, conferences, conventions and meetings, and to provide services to visitors; and
    
    ​• 25% of the net proceeds shall be used for the planning, promotion, and projects of the city centennial observance.  On July 1, 1990, that portion of annual revenues theretofore allocated to the centennial observance shall be applied to the visitors’ and special events’ promotion fund.

• Stillwater News Press – Front Page – Tuesday, March 12, 1985:

Stillwater Chamber of Commerce (Committee of 88), Stillwater Industrial Foundation, Stillwater Chapter of the Oklahoma Hotel and Motel Association, and the Mayor’s Task Force on Visitor Promotion supported a public vote to establish a Hotel Room Tax for Stillwater to:

• finance and establish a local visitors and special events bureau (now operates as Visit Stillwater)

• fund the Stillwater Centennial Project, with those funds reverting to the bureau’s promotional budget in 1990

4% since inception 

1985 – 2010: 100% to Visit Stillwater, (less 1% processing fee kept by the City)

2011 – 2014: 100% to Visit Stillwater as a Department of the City

2015 – Present: Contracted amount between Stillwater Economic Development Authority (SEDA) and Visit Stillwater for destination marketing and visitor development services

Tax Collection

July 1, 1985 – June 30, 2020: City of Stillwater 

July 1, 2020 – present: Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC)

Short-Term Rentals (ie: Airbnb)

OTC started collecting the visitor tax on July 1, 2020