(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Village of Rosemont refuses to charge an amusement tax to concert/eventgoers that has been in effect in Cook County since 1997. Rosemont officials claim they don't have to collect a tax on behalf of another governmental body. So there is an uproar in Chicago since Cook County is out about $10,000 from the Britney Spears April 14 concert at the Allstate Arena and about $35,000 from three Prince concerts scheduled for June, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Cook County is taking the Village of Rosemont to court over the lost funds over these concerts plus all entertainment events over the past seven years.
The tax is supposed to be 1.5 percent on venues with more than 5,000 seats and 1 percent tax on smaller venues. Venues with fewer than 750 seats are not subject to the tax.
In 2003, the tax earned Cook County $15.4 million from events at the United Center, Soldier Field and other spots while the Village of Rosemont could yield $1 million a year, according to the Sun-Times. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
