Like the old song says, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," could be what more people will be saying in Haywood County if a proposed occupancy tax increase is approved.

In an effort to generate more money for the county and in turn attract more tourists to the area, local leaders have voted in favor of an increase in occupancy taxes to fund projects that would do just that.

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) plans to create a Tourism Product Development Fund with the estimated extra $400,000 that would come from the tax increase from 4 to 6 percent.

TDA has been discussing ways to increase the number of visitors to the county for several years, and they suggest improving and building sports complexes could be one way to do it.

If passed, extra funds generated by the higher ...