STRICTLY BUSINESS: QUILTERS PROVIDE BOON TO PADUCAH, NEARBY AREA

Quilters had Paducah, Ky., covered last week, and the city couldn't be happier.

Almost overnight, Paducah's population more than doubled as 30,000 people from 49 states and 10 foreign counties converged on the western Kentucky community of about 28,000 for the annual four-day American Quilter's Society Quilt Show and Contest.

The quilting society, a national organization, has more than 70,000 members. A survey indicates that almost half of them attended the 1996 show.

Lodging for the annual weekend in April is always at a premium. Motels, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts were booked throughout a 50-mile radius. Some of them "overnighted" in Cape Girardeau. Restaurants in the area were packed. Service stations sold a lot of gasoline.

One downtown bed-and-breakfast has been "reserved" on quilt weekend for the next 20 years. A group of about 30 women from Japan rents a waterfowl hunting club in western Kentucky each year. As many as 100 quilters have been "placed" with families in Paducah.

Merchants in Paducah order extra inventory, geared to the influx of the thousands of quilt-oriented shoppers.

Any way you look at it, the annual quilt show is a giant economic boon to West Kentucky.

How big?

Try $20 million ... or $25 million ... maybe more, spread over the wide area involved in the show.

Attendees at association conventions contribute an enormous amount of money to local economies of destinations they visit.

Figures just released by the IACVB Convention Foundation show that in 1995, the average attendee at an international, national or regional convention spent an average of $862.79 during a four-day stay. This includes hotel rooms, restaurants, retail stores, taxis, car rentals and other expenses.

The survey update also shows that associations spent an average of $59.86 per attendee for local services and each exhibitor spent an average of $2,638.97, further adding to the economic impact of these large conventions.

All this adds up to millions of dollars left in West Kentucky, Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri by quilters during the 1996 show.

The Paducah Quilt Show has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years.

It started a dozen years ago as a small quilt show, held at the J.R.'s Executive Inn in downtown Paducah.

Since that first show, the quilt show has spread. The Museum of American Quilter's Society has been constructed in downtown Paducah, and this year, Kentucky Oaks Mall joined in the festivities, hosting a AQS's special display.

No less than 45 quilt-related events were held in and around the Paducah area, including quilt displays, smaller quilt shows, quilt and lace exhibits, arts and crafts shows, dinners and tours, sponsored by almost every major church in town.

There's no question that the quilt show has given Paducah national prominence. And it started as just an idea. Cape Girardeau, with its interstate connections, river and airport availability, certainly has the potential to develop events of national scope. Just as in quilting, many new things can be accomplished -- one piece at a time.

Idea? Share them with us.

Catching up on industry

Caruthersville and Sikeston will receive grants from the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) to aid in new business for the respective areas.

Caruthersville will receive a $100,000 grant in tax credits for the Cupples Rubber Co. to develop a plant that will employ 60 people.

Cupples Rubber Co., headquartered at St. Louis, is moving a branch to Caruthersville on the Mississippi River in Pemiscot County.

Sikeston will receive an industrial infrastructure grant of $119,000 from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for street, water and sewer improvements, which will lead to an expansion of Alan Wire Co., creating 13 new jobs.

Alan Wire is a Missouri corporation that manufacturers bare copper wire and insulated copper wire, including building wire products and other types of specialty wire and cable products. The company currently sells products in 34 states.

The Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission, in its April report, announced grants to Dexter, East Prairie, Kennett and Pemiscot County for improvements leading to industry expansions.

The Dexter grant from DED/EDA is for an upgraded water system to assist Hudson Food in the expansion of its poultry processing plant. Primary products at the Dexter poultry facility is boneless breast, leg quarters and wings for retail and export sales.

The East Prairie grant from DED is to assist in parking facilities, storm sewer, street and sewer improvements for Jakel Inc., which will produce C-framed electric motors for range hoods, microwave ovens and oscillating fans.

Kennett's DED grant will be used for water, sewer and street work in the Kennett Industrial Park, to assist in the location of ACF Industries Inc., and C & C Warehouse Inc. ACF produces subassemblies for use in the construction of hopper cars and tank cars and C & C is a warehousing facility to serve manufacturing and servicing companies.

The Pemiscot County grant is for road improvements to assist in the expansion of Trinity Industries and LaRoche Industries Inc. at the Pemiscot County Port. LaRoche manufactures various nitrogen chemicals for use in fertilizers. Trinity designs and manufactures large glass fiber plastic coverings for barges and rail cars.

And on the rivers

March totals are in for the Missouri and Illinois casino industry.

Missouri's seven casinos won a record $51.4 million, led by Station Casino at St. Charles, with $12.4 million. The two riverboat complex has led the state the past five months.

Harrah's in North Kansas City won $11.7 million, and Argosy's Casino at Riverside won $8.5 million. Boyd's Sam's Town at Kansas City soared to $7.4 million, and President in downtown St. Louis had its best month in a while, at $6.9 million. Rounding out the list Casino Aztar at Caruthersville had its best month ever, $2.5 million, and the St. Joe Frontier at St. Joseph, reported $2.1 million.

Nine casinos in Illinois reported a combined win total of $113.3 million.

The Casino Queen at East St. Louis won $11.5 million, and the Alton Belle at Alton won $6.7 million. Players Casino, nearest to Cape Girardeau, at Metropolis, Ill., reported $7 million.

Heading the Illinois list was the Grand Victorian at Elgin, with $20.7 million, followed by Harrah's at Joliet and Empress of Joliet, each with $19.7 million.

Others riverboats and their totals are: Hollywood Casino at Aurora, $15.1 million; Par-A-Dice at Peoria, $9.2 million; and, Casino Rock Island, $1.5 million.