Conventions can re-locate. My point is it’s preferable from a local’s standpoint to tax tourists. Public funding of sports isn’t going away.
On that of course you are right, anytime you can get others to pay the way, it will be popular.
Phoenix, Az. did the something similar to pay for Bank One Ballpark (BOB). They used a rental car tax, which was pretty substantial. I found out about that scheme when I rented a car in Phoenix and asked about the Prop C tax (I may be wrong on the letter designator).
At that time I was planning a national sales meeting and I would need 30 hotel rooms and about ten rental cars. Plus meeting rooms, dinner etc, for a three day meeting.
Phoenix was the leading candidate. I dropped it in favor of another location and wrote a letter to the mayor regarding the reasons for the decision.