The details
The community support service agreement, which will be paid for through the hotel occupancy tax fund allocated for fiscal year 2025-26, will assist the Bastrop Opera House with the following:
- Operations
- Marketing
- Cultural art and theater services
HOT revenue—generated from a tax levied on people who pay for the use of a hotel room or other lodging facility—is eligible to be used to support the Bastrop Opera House, as the venue serves as both a historic landmark and a tourism draw, according to the Texas comptroller’s office.
A full list of eligible uses of HOT revenue can be accessed online.
What we know
The Bastrop Opera House hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 7 to celebrate the start of construction on its expanded space.
The project, a renovation of the building adjacent to its current space, will add more than 5,000 square feet to the existing footprint, according to the Bastrop Opera House.
Lisa Holcomb, executive director of the Bastrop Opera House, previously detailed that Phase 1 of the two-phase $2.6 million expansion—funded through a campaign by the opera house and the city of Bastrop—will provide:
- A dedicated space for youth programs
- More rehearsal space for youth programs
- Expanded opportunities for performances and community engagement
- A cultural gathering spot
Bastrop City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino told community members during the ribbon-cutting ceremony that more money will be allocated to the Bastrop Opera House in the coming years.
“[Holcomb’s] ask of $1 million over 10 years is nothing,” she said. “I said, ‘Let's do it,’ and the council said, ‘Let's do it.’ So here we are, and we’re going to keep doing it.”
