City staff - including the City Manager - operate under the direction of the people elected to office. And I believe even the City Attorney would tell you that everytime a project goes out to bid that it has to go to the lowest bidder who meets all the qualifications. If no one local can do it, then it has to go to the company that can. Please also tell me how stopping the convention center will possibly help anything now? No property tax dollars are spent on it at all. Unless you live in a hotel you aren't paying for it, and it is the largest project in the region right now putting lots of people to work.