Santa Barbara County’s retail and leisure/hospitality sectors are almost back to where they were when the pandemic hit in 2020, but they’re not growing as fast as the U.S. economy, Rupert noted.

Caruso's is named after billionaire real-estate developer Rick Caruso, who opened Rosewood Miramar Beach in 2019. Rosewood Miramar Beach is located in Santa Barbara's ritzy Montecito neighborhood.

A quick online search for hotels in Santa Barbara yields more than 100 results, and this fiscal year, the Transient Occupancy Tax collected from these hotels is expected to reach $30.8 million — 9 ...