In his State of the County address delivered Wednesday, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon discussed several initiatives he said were aimed at reviving the hospitality industry.

McMahon said there was a 9.5% hospitality unemployment rate in the county, and he’s planning to improve that.

“That is why I am proposing a comprehensive tourism and hospitality plan,” he said.

As part of the COVID-19 recovery, McMahon said the plan will be made up of a few projects: the $85 million aquarium pushed out of the budget by the county Legislature; the $25 million multi-sports complex; a film industry tax credit; a $5 million expansion and renovation of meeting rooms at the convention center; and a $750,000 hotel recovery fund.

“If we want to continue our efforts to invest in people, roads and bridges, then you need to see that sales tax number grow each year,” McMahon said.

Both the aquarium and sports complex got the axe from the Onondaga County Legislature during 2022 budget negotiations.

McMahon will need to bring both projects back to the Legislature, which he plans to do.

“We have approval for the convention center improvements, the film fund," McMahon said. "Right now, we really want to continue the dialogue to answer their questions. We think we’ll have the answer they’ve given us to date in short order. Hopefully, we’ll have conversations to get this on the docket at some point.”

He plans to fund the projects with budget surplus money and American Rescue Plan dollars.