Association looks to boost interest in Wall of Fame

After initial sluggish sales of sponsorship, the Cape Girardeau River Heritage Mural Association will try a new approach to marketing the Wall of Fame update project.

The association announced in February that it would commission Chicago artist Thomas Melvin to work or a restoring of the Wall of Fame -- portraits of famous people with Missouri ties on the south end of the floodwall. Melvin was the principal artist on the Mississippi River Tales murals.

Originally association president Tim Blattner said he hoped Melvin would be able to begin work on the wall by May or June.

Friday Blattner said sometime in June is still possible, but that timeline has changed due to the slow sponsorship sales and Melvin's commitment to other projects in Chicago.

More than half the $85,000 to $90,000 of the project cost will need to be raised through sponsorship, Blattner said in February. The sponsorships would be for panels 50 feet long, with 10 panels making up the 500-foot-long mural. Each panel was to be sold for $5,000.

Artist's proposal for the floodwall Wall of Fame mural.

So far panel sponsors have bought panels with Harry Truman's and Mark Twain's likenesses. To attract more sponsorship, the mural association has decided to break the mural down into smaller parts, though, based on themes.

Blattner said he hopes the new pricing will make purchasing sponsorships for accessible for individuals and organizations.

Under the new plan figures will be grouped together in their area of cultural impact -- authors, celebrities, entertainers, Old West figures, baseball players, generals and other groupings.

Options will be available to purchase full panels or smaller groupings of portraits. For instance, a $5,000 sponsorship for the first panel covers figures from Calamity Jane to Redd Foxx. But sponsorship for the Wild West group of Calamity Jane, Jesse and Frank James can be purchased for $2,250. The remaining part of the panel -- celebrities starting with Ginger Rogers and ending with Redd Foxx -- can be purchased for $3,250.

Blattner said even sales have been slow initially, he feels there's a great deal of community interest in the project. He said he's already received several inquiries.

"There's no question there's an interest in making the improvements," said Blattner. "I have complete confidence it's all going to come together."

Anyone interested in sponsorship can call Blattner at 334-3288 or Freck Shivelbine at 335-8862.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182