Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-1 Application of chapter
Sec. 1. This chapter applies to Vanderburgh County.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.12-1992, SEC.34; P.L.170-2002, SEC.31; P.L.119-2012, SEC.57; P.L.290-2019, SEC.1.
Ind. Code ch. 6-9-2.5
Ind. Code ch. 6-9-2.5
in effectInd. Code § 6-9-2.5-1.1 Definitions
Sec. 1.1. The following definitions apply throughout this chapter:
(1) "County" refers to the county specified in section 1 of this chapter.
(2) "New business" means a business entity, organization, or association that:
(A) reasonably establishes an intent to have at least two hundred (200) patrons to rent rooms, lodgings, or accommodations for periods of less than thirty (30) days in any commercial hotel, motel, inn, tourist camp, or tourist cabin that is located in the county; and
(B) has not received a financial incentive from the county during the immediately preceding five (5) calendar years.
(3) "Operating expenses" means expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business operations. The term does not include expenditures:
(A) for constructing, repairing, or maintaining public streets or sidewalks; or
(B) for a person (as defined in IC 6-2.5-1-3) or a governmental entity to provide security for a convention held at a convention center in the county.
As added by P.L.290-2019, SEC.2.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-2 Convention and visitor commission; creation
Sec. 2. (a) There is created a seven (7) member convention and visitor commission (referred to as the "commission" in this chapter) plus any additional members appointed under subsection (f), whose purpose it is to promote the development and growth of the convention and visitor industry in said county.
(b) The county council, by majority vote, shall appoint two (2) members of the commission, at least one (1) of whom must be engaged in the hotel or motel business in the county. The county commissioners, by majority vote, shall appoint two (2) members of the commission, at least one (1) of whom must be engaged in the hotel or motel business in the county. The mayor of a municipality in the county that has the largest population, as determined in the federal decennial census, shall appoint three (3) members of the commission. At least one (1) of the members appointed by the mayor must be engaged in the hotel or motel business in the county. Beginning with the next appointment available to the mayor after a riverboat (as defined in IC 4-33-2-17) initially begins operation from the county, at least one (1) of the members appointed by the mayor must represent the interests of riverboats in the county.
(c) All terms of office begin on January 1 and end on December 31. Members of the commission appointed by the county council serve two (2) year terms. Members appointed by the county commissioners serve one (1) year terms. Members appointed by the mayor of the largest municipality in the county serve two (2) year terms. A member whose term expires may be reappointed to serve another term. If a vacancy occurs, a qualified person shall be appointed by the original appointing authority to serve for the remainder of the term.
(d) A member of the commission may be removed for cause by his appointing authority.
(e) Members of the commission may not receive a salary. However, commission members shall receive reimbursement for necessary expenses, but only when such necessary expenses are incurred in the performance of their respective duties.
(f) The commission must also contain a member appointed by the city executive of each city within the county (other than the cities described in subsection (b)).
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.97-1983, SEC.7; P.L.49-1994, SEC.4; P.L.157-2026, SEC.162.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-3 Powers and duties of commission
Sec. 3. (a) The commission may:
(1) accept and use gifts, grants, and contributions from any public or private source, under terms and conditions which the commission deems necessary and desirable;
(2) sue and be sued;
(3) enter into contracts and agreements;
(4) make rules and regulations necessary for the conduct of its business and the accomplishment of its purposes;
(5) receive and approve, alter, or reject requests and proposals for funding by corporations described in section 7 of this chapter;
(6) transfer money received under this chapter for the purposes specified in sections 7 and 7.5 of this chapter; and
(7) require financial or other reports from any corporation that receives funds under this chapter.
(b) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the concurrence of a majority of those present shall be necessary to authorize any action.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.49-1994, SEC.5.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-4 Expenses of commission; budget; expenditures
Sec. 4. All expenses of the commission shall be paid from the fund established in section 7 of this chapter. The commission shall annually prepare a budget. The budget for expenditures under section 7 of this chapter must take into consideration the recommendations made by a nonprofit corporation qualifying under section 7 of this chapter. The commission shall submit the budget to the county council for its review and approval. No expenditure shall be made unless:
(1) it is pursuant to an appropriation made by the county council in the manner provided by law; and
(2) if the expenditure is payable from the tourism capital improvement fund, the specific project for which the expenditure will be made has been:
(A) recommended to the county council by the commission; and
(B) approved by the county council.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.49-1994, SEC.6.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-5 Report by not-for-profit corporations receiving funds required
Sec. 5. Any not-for-profit corporation that receives funds under this chapter shall make a financial or other report upon request of the commission.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-6 Tax on lodgings authorized; rate; collection
Sec. 6. (a) The county council may levy tax on every person engaged in the business of renting or furnishing, for periods of less than thirty (30) days, any room or rooms, lodgings, or accommodations in any commercial hotel, motel, inn, tourist camp, or tourist cabin located in a county described in section 1 of this chapter. Such tax shall not exceed the rate of eight percent (8%) on the gross income derived from lodging income only and shall be in addition to the state gross retail tax imposed on such persons by IC 6-2.5.
(b) The county fiscal body may adopt an ordinance to require that the tax shall be paid monthly to the county treasurer. If such an ordinance is adopted, the tax shall be paid to the county treasurer not more than twenty (20) days after the end of the month the tax is collected. If such an ordinance is not adopted, the tax shall be imposed, paid, and collected in exactly the same manner as the state gross retail tax is imposed, paid, and collected pursuant to IC 6-2.5.
(c) All of the provisions of IC 6-2.5 relating to rights, duties, liabilities, procedures, penalties, definitions, exemptions, and administration shall be applicable to the imposition and administration of the tax imposed by this section except to the extent such provisions are in conflict or inconsistent with the specific provisions of this chapter or the requirements of the county treasurer. Specifically and not in limitation of the foregoing sentence, the terms "person" and "gross income" shall have the same meaning in this section as they have in IC 6-2.5. If the tax is paid to the department of state revenue, the returns to be filed for the payment of the tax under this section may be either a separate return or may be combined with the return filed for the payment of the state gross retail tax as the department of state revenue may, by rule or regulation, determine.
(d) If the tax is paid to the department of state revenue, the amounts received from such tax shall be paid quarterly by the treasurer of state to the county treasurer upon warrants issued by the state comptroller.
(e) The tax imposed under subsection (a) does not apply to the renting or furnishing of rooms, lodgings, or accommodations to a person for a period of thirty (30) days or more.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1. Amended by Acts 1979, P.L.82, SEC.2; P.L.97-1983, SEC.8; P.L.108-1987, SEC.3; P.L.49-1994, SEC.7; P.L.67-1997, SEC.3; P.L.178-2002, SEC.74; P.L.224-2007, SEC.93; P.L.175-2018, SEC.3; P.L.9-2024, SEC.220.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-7 Convention and visitor promotion fund
Sec. 7. (a) The county treasurer shall establish a convention and visitor promotion fund.
(b) The county treasurer shall deposit in the convention and visitor promotion fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter as follows:
(1) Before January 1, 2026, the county treasurer shall deposit in the convention and visitor promotion fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter that is generated by a two and one-half percent (2.5%) rate.
(2) After December 31, 2025, the county treasurer shall deposit in the convention and visitor promotion fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter that is generated by a three percent (3%) rate.
(c) Money in this fund shall be expended only as provided in this chapter.
(d) The commission may transfer money in the convention and visitor promotion fund to any Indiana nonprofit corporation for the purpose of promotion and encouragement in the county of conventions, trade shows, visitors, or special events. The commission may transfer money under this section only after approving the transfer. Transfers shall be made quarterly or less frequently under this section.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.49-1994, SEC.8; P.L.208-1999, SEC.1; P.L.178-2002, SEC.75; P.L.168-2005, SEC.8; P.L.230-2025, SEC.93.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-7.5 Tourism capital improvement fund
Sec. 7.5. (a) The county treasurer shall establish a tourism capital improvement fund.
(b) The county treasurer shall deposit money in the tourism capital improvement fund as follows:
(1) Before January 1, 2026, the county treasurer shall deposit in the tourism capital improvement fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter that is generated by a three and one-half percent (3.5%) rate.
(2) After December 31, 2025, and before January 1, 2029, the county treasurer shall deposit in the tourism capital improvement fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter that is generated by a three percent (3%) rate.
(3) After December 31, 2028, the county treasurer shall deposit in the tourism capital improvement fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter that is generated by a four percent (4%) rate.
(c) The commission may transfer money in the tourism capital improvement fund to:
(1) the county government, a city government, or a separate body corporate and politic in a county described in section 1 of this chapter; or
(2) any Indiana nonprofit corporation;
for the purpose of making capital improvements in the county that promote conventions, tourism, or recreation. The commission may transfer money under this section only after approving the transfer. Transfers shall be made quarterly or less frequently under this section.
As added by P.L.49-1994, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.208-1999, SEC.2; P.L.178-2002, SEC.76; P.L.168-2005, SEC.9; P.L.224-2007, SEC.94; P.L.176-2009, SEC.6; P.L.190-2014, SEC.28; P.L.290-2019, SEC.3; P.L.230-2025, SEC.94.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-7.7 Convention center operating, capital improvement, and financial incentive fund
Sec. 7.7. (a) As used in this section, "fund" refers to the convention center operating, capital improvement, and financial incentive fund established under subsection (b).
(b) The county treasurer shall establish a convention center operating, capital improvement, and financial incentive fund.
(c) Before January 1, 2029, the county treasurer shall deposit in the fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter that is generated by a two percent (2%) rate.
(d) After December 31, 2028, the county treasurer shall deposit in the fund the amount of money received under section 6 of this chapter that is generated by a one percent (1%) rate.
(e) Money in the fund may be expended only for the following:
(1) Operating expenses of a convention center located in the county.
(2) Capital improvements to a convention center located in the county.
(3) Financial incentives to attract, promote, or encourage new business conventions, trade shows, or special events held at a convention center located in the county.
(f) A financial incentive described in subsection (e)(3) may not be distributed to a new business for at least thirty (30) days after the conclusion of a convention, trade show, or special event that is held by the new business at a convention center located in the county.
As added by P.L.208-1999, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.168-2005, SEC.10; P.L.176-2009, SEC.7; P.L.190-2014, SEC.29; P.L.290-2019, SEC.4; P.L.230-2025, SEC.95.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-8 Unauthorized transfer and use of funds; offenses
Sec. 8. (a) A member of the commission who knowingly:
(1) approves the transfer of funds to any person not qualified under this chapter for such a transfer; or
(2) approves a transfer for a purpose not permitted under this chapter;
commits a Level 6 felony.
(b) A person who receives a transfer of funds under this chapter and knowingly uses those funds for any purpose other than a proposal approved by the commission commits a Level 6 felony.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.22, SEC.1. Amended by Acts 1978, P.L.2, SEC.653; P.L.158-2013, SEC.107.
Ind. Code § 6-9-2.5-9 Buildings for public use
Sec. 9. (a) This section applies to any building:
(1) constructed or remodeled with money from:
(A) the tourism capital improvement fund; or
(B) the convention and visitor promotion fund; and
(2) used by the county convention and visitor commission.
(b) A structure must be open for use by the members of the public for public or private events, including catered events, under uniform and nondiscriminatory policies established by the commission.
As added by P.L.208-1999, SEC.4.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/6Fetched: 10/17/2026