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Rochester library (1995) and the Willmar library (1997) used the local sales tax for funding, while the other 58 libraries used other funding sources, with most projects using local bonding. Libraries in greater Minnesota may rely more on state funds. Metropolitan area libraries largely bond and use county property tax money to make the bond payments. Similar observations can be made for municipal fire stations, airport expansions, parks, and sewer projects. In other words, cities without local sales taxes undertake the same types of projects as cities with local sales taxes, but fund them from different sources. Convention Centers Funding civic/convention/community centers is a popular use of local sales taxes. While these centers can vary substantially in size and expected uses, they are similar when referring to a separate building or buildings to include meeting rooms for a variety of uses often extending to tourism. The list of proposed centers is substantial. A limited list is below, at right: Similarly, the Mankato Civic Center and the Rochester Civic Center used local sales tax funds (previously imposed sales taxes). The Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center likely benefited from the Duluth general fund local sales tax as well. Centers in the top 15 cities, by population, include the Minneapolis Convention Center, St. Paul RiverCentre, Rochester Civic Center, Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, and the Midwest Wireless Civic Center in Mankato. Other venues among these 151arge cities include the Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Eagan Community Center, Coon Rapids Civic Center, and St. Cloud Civic Center. Convention centers Convention centers proposed and/or authorized City Authorized Use Currently imposed local sales taxes: Minneapolis Convention Center New Ulm Civic/Community Center Proctor Community Center St. Paul Civic Center Previously authorized but not enacted proposals: Bemidji Convention Center Detroit Lakes Community Center Hutchinson Community Center St. Cloud Area Central Minnesota Events Center Thief River Falls Convention (Tourism) Center Some cities do not have large-scale meeting facilities. Bloomington, for example, refers convention business to St. Paul and Minneapolis while encouraging partici- pants to stay in Bloomington near the airport. In contrast, Burnsville's convention bureau lists 23 properties with 900 rooms, and Brooklyn Park offers public facilities for meeting rooms. An Internet search identifies about 20 large-venue meeting facilities in Minnesota with about half of them being private enterprises. The larger casinos in the state provide auditoriums and meeting facilities as well. The Office of Tourism at the Department of Employment and Economic Develop- ment oversees approximately $8 million of lodging taxes allowed under MS. 469.190. Use of these monies is restricted; cities may fund a local convention or tourism bureau for the purpose of marketing and promoting the city as a tourist or convention center. The convention/tourism bureau often provides promotional and sales support to local convention or civic centers, but little if any of these funds would be used for capital expenditures. In summary, funding for civic/convention/community centers for larger cities has largely relied on local sales tax funds. However, some smaller cities that have used other funding for their facilities, and private facilities are part of the market as well. 9