Dozens Turned Away From Private Expedia Meeting Over Homestays

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. — Things got heated Thursday evening when members of the press and even the Camden County Presiding Commissioner were turned away from a meeting between Expedia representatives, vacation homeowners and a state legislator.

Expedia lobbyist Bill Shoehigh firmly turned away a LakeExpo.com reporter, Presiding Commissioner Greg Hasty, interested citizens and homeowners on Thursday, January 12 at Tan-Tar-A. All were present to hear discussion about legislation affecting vacation rental property at Lake of the Ozarks. They had not been invited, though many appeared to be under the impression that the meeting would be open to the public.

Hasty, upon being turned away, said he’s “disappointed,” but plans to confer with other Camden County commissioners regarding public forums on the matter.

Police and sheriff’s deputies were called to help Expedia turn away those who had received forwarded email invitations and/or had read about the town hall meeting in advance. There were no physical altercations, but many who were turned away were vocal in their objections to being refused admission.

According to multiple individuals who were allowed inside, someone had called Tan-Tar-A prior to the meeting, pretending to be from Shoehigh’s office, saying the resort needed to plan for more people to attend. Shoehigh says that call did not come from anyone in his office.

Expedia customers—property owners who rent short-term via VRBO or HomeAway, which are owned by Expedia—who live in Representative Diane Franklin’s district were sent an invitation by the company to attend.

Franklin phoned in to the meeting. Also in attendance were board members of the Tri County Lodging Association and TCLA staff.

In spite of the drama, out of the meeting came news of a proposed law that will please vacation home owners at Lake of the Ozarks.

Franklin is introducing legislation during the 2017 legislative session that she hopes will resolve a highly controversial issue at the Lake: the assessment and taxation of residences that are rented on a short-term basis.

In Camden County, some homeowners who rent on a short-term basis have found their property taxes dramatically increased when they were suddenly reassessed at a Commercial rate.

Franklin says her bill would “clean up” the assessment question by specifying that such homes should still be assessed at a Residential tax rate. That was the topic of Thursday evening’s meeting, Franklin said. She added, “I was excited about hearing… from people who really do this: why they do it, how it's working out for them. For most people it’s a second home… supplement to their income.”

A bill that tried to regulate homestays crashed and burned in 2016 after property owners took issue with the taxes and proposed regulations that were contained in the rapidly-changing bill.