Unfortunately your plan won't work. The convention center is being built ONLY by money from the room occupancy tax (the "tourist tax") and not by local taxpayer dollars. And the state has determined that this money can ONLY be used to build the convention center. It is the largest construction project in our entire region, though, and is putting hundreds of people to work. And although there are some of those workers who don't live in Wilmington, they are eating and spending money here while they are working on the convention center which also helps.