Is the Tour of Missouri a boost (or a bust) for Southeast Missouri?
The race itself zipped by in a colorful, European-tinged blur — a blur that, according to most estimates, cost almost $100,000 locally and $3.04 million statewide.
Ask most of the 5,000 or so people who watched the third annual Tour of Missouri whip and wind through the hills and highways of Southeast Missouri on Monday and Tuesday (with more expected to watch the tour's Farmington-area route Wednesday). They'll tell you that the tour brought unimaginable free publicity to the region in an economy when tourist dollars are harder to come by.
But a week ago, city and state leaders were gushing over the estimate that 30,000 Cape Girardeau-area fans would line streets and county roads to wave on the tour's diverse pack of riders — the sign of brighter days just a month or so after the state balked at the idea of paying its $1.5 million share of the race's cost.
Good weather couldn't produce the fans. The days and weeks of advance publicity couldn't, either. Maybe the fans didn't exist in the first place.
As the tour's vans and trucks and trailers and stream of faithful fans head to St. Francois County, then eventually west toward Kansas City, volunteers and city crews are cleaning up and, no doubt, thinking ahead to 2010.
Will the race be back? Will taxpayers and businesses and volunteers who spent time and money see a return on the investment? Will the fourth annual Tour of Missouri even happen?
And will those estimated 30,000 Southeast Missourians care?
3 comments:
30,000 my behind. Once again the city of Cape missed the mark!!
I can only speak for Ste. Genevieve, but I thought the Tour was an absolute hit here. The staging area was packed and the riders were gracious with their time to answer questions, sign autographs, and just talk about their lives. I learned so much about their training, the economics of cycling, what they do before/after races, etc. etc. etc. I think everyone here would echo that sentiment.
If it was great with the community of Ste. Gen then thats great but I thought the 30,000 number with Cape was a joke and was deservingly proven so!!!
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