Of course, the success of today's downtown would have never been possible without significant financial commitments from the City of Winston-Salem, the corporate community, local philanthropic foundations, and devoted individuals. The voters of Winston-Salem approved a bond referendum in 2002, from which $6.5 million was earmarked for the center city area. The Winston-Salem Alliance has created a $45 million Millennium Fund, pooling contributions from the corporate community and local foundations, of which $32 million will be used for downtown projects. Plus, members of the Meade Willis family have personally contributed over $500,000 that has been used by the Downtown Winston-Salem Foundation to provide loans to several smaller "cutting edge" arts, dining, and entertainment venues in the city center.