MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Mall of America, Minnesota’s top tourist attraction, expressed strong opposition Wednesday to a plan to add a sales tax to clothing.

About 17 million people visit the mall every year, making it the state’s number one tourist draw by far. Mall officials told lawmakers Wednesday they want no sales tax on clothing.

But lawmakers are looking at a plan to lower the state sales tax to 6 percent and apply it to items like clothing.

But mall officials say millions of visitors spend $500 million every year just on clothing at the mall. They say many shoppers come to the mega-mall from high-tax states like Illinois, California and even other countries, like Great Britain.

Mall officials also argued that tourism spending doesn’t stop at the mall.

“They spend all over the state,” said Maureen Bausch, a mall spokesperson who spoke at the Capitol Wednesday. “They go to the Brainerd lakes region, they go to Green Lake and Diamond Lake. They go all over…but they come because of shopping.”