Revenue to pay Convention Center debt exceeds expectations

Minneapolis received about $4 million more than it expected from restaurant and hospitality taxes last year.

The city levies a variety of special taxes on downtown hotels, bars and restaurants. That money will eventually pay the city's share of the new Vikings stadium, but right now most of the funds go to the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Jeff Johnson, convention center executive director, said 2012 was a good year for the city's hospitality industry. He also says 2013 is off to a strong start.

"We saw that more people were staying in hotels, going out to eat, and it's a year that hopefully will show that the economy is back," Johnson said.

Johnson said the city projected revenue would grow by 2 percent last year. Instead revenue were up 6 percent.

Most of the extra money will help pay down Convention Center debt, but the city's tourism bureau, Meet Minneapolis, will see a bump in its budget of more than $100,000.

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