var map;
    var MissouriRegionsGeoXML; 

    function CreateCityMarker(city_id,city_name,latitude,longitude)
    {
      var point = new GLatLng(latitude, longitude);

      var MarkerOptions = { title:city_name };
      var marker = new GMarker(point, MarkerOptions);

      GEvent.addListener(marker,'click',function()
      {
        var openWindowStr = '<strong>' + city_name + '</strong><br><a href="display-city-' + city_id + '.php">Click here</a> to find inns that are<br>located in or near this city.';
        marker.openInfoWindowHtml(openWindowStr);
      });

      map.addOverlay(marker);
    }

    function initialize_region_map(region_id)
    {
      if (GBrowserIsCompatible())
      {
        // initialize KML overlay 
        MissouriRegionsGeoXML = new GGeoXml("http://www.bbim.org/google-maps/missouri-regions.kml");

        // initialize map
        map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_canvas")); 

        switch(region_id)
        {
          case 0:
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(38.5767017,-92.1735164), 8); 
            break;
          }
          case 1:  // Northwest
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(39.9747325,-93.8010538), 8); 
            break;
          }
          case 2:  // Northeast
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(39.78,-92.4726859), 8); 
            break;
          }
          case 3:  // Greater Kansas City
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(39.07,-94.0), 9); 
            break;
          }
          case 4:  // Central
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(38.5767017,-92.1735164), 8); 
            break;
          }
          case 5:  // Greater St. Louis
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(38.62,-90.882081), 9); 
            break;
          }
          case 6:  // Lake of Ozarks
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(38.22,-92.8335237), 9); 
            break;
          }
          case 7:  // Greater Springfield
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(37.2,-93.1), 9); 
            break;
          }
          case 8:  // Southwest
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(37.37,-93.1102228), 8); 
            break;
          }
          case 9:  // Southeast
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(37.37,-90.6976197), 8); 
            break;
          }
          case 10:  // Branson
          {
            map.setCenter(new GLatLng(36.93,-93.2185144), 9); 
            break;
          }
        }  // end of switch

        map.addControl(new GMapTypeControl());

        map.addOverlay(MissouriRegionsGeoXML);

        var count = 0;
        while(count < TotalCities)
        {
          CreateCityMarker(cityIDAry[count],cityNameAry[count],latitudeAry[count],longitudeAry[count]);
          count++;
        }

      }
    }