GREENFIELD, Ind. -- Hancock County on Wednesday became the first area government to approve a 1 percent food and beverage tax to fund a new stadium and convention center expansion in Indianapolis.

The county council voted unanimously Wednesday morning to adopt the tax, which is expected to raise about $647,000 per year there. Half of the tax revenue will go to build a new Indianapolis Colts stadium and an expansion of the Indiana Convention Center, and the rest will go to local projects.

Gov. Mitch Daniels had asked Hancock County and six other counties bordering Marion County to approve the tax by June 30. Hancock County's tax is expected to be implemented Aug. 1.

The bulk of the project money would come from Marion County, which includes Indianapolis. It is being asked to raise -- among other items -- its food-and-beverage tax from 1 percent to 2 percent.

About 20 people -- most of whom were opposed to the tax -- besides the council members attended Wednesday's vote at the courthouse annex in Greenfield. Before the vote, some spoke against the tax and criticized the council for having the meeting at 8:30 a.m. on a workday, accusing the members of preventing a more significant turnout of tax opponents.

Councilman Thomas Roney said at the meeting that he believed the tax was "an investment in the future of central Indiana."

"It is going to pay off dividends down the road," Roney said. "I know a lot of people don't see that or don't feel like that is a reality, but I can't believe it isn't."