Ballpark bill hits snag in state House

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Like baseball fans suffering through a tedious rain delay, lawmakers and lobbyists were eagerly waiting for play to resume Wednesday night as time grew shorter for passage of a $644 million stadium funding package.

The bill, which includes state subsidies to build a new St. Louis Cardinals ballpark, has already cleared the Senate and one House committee. However, when the measure will be debated on the House floor remained the No. 1 question in the Capitol.

Throughout Wednesday, those involved with the effort would emerge from closed-door meetings confident the bill was ready to go, only to later say the plan was back in a holding pattern. That process repeated itself into the evening.

In committee

As of 8 p.m., a substitute version was before the House Fiscal Review Committee, which scrutinizes legislation that costs the state money.

The bill's main sponsor -- Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau -- said he was unsure what changes the measure's House handlers had made that forced it before the committee. Copies of the substitute bill had not yet been made available.

"This is maybe a slow motion kill by the speaker," said Kinder, referring to House Speaker Jim Kreider.

Kreider, D-Nixa, has said the House will not debate stadiums until an unrelated bill to plug a $167 million hole in the state budget for the fiscal year ending June 30 is sent to the governor.

Negotiations between the House and Senate on that proposal have been ongoing since Monday.

"We are getting close," Kreider said.

With the General Assembly required to adjourn for the year at 6 p.m. Friday, time is the most precious commodity.

If the bill clears the House -- where opposition from rural lawmakers, including those from Southeast Missouri, is stiff -- the Senate would have to vote again to accept the House's changes before it could be sent to Gov. Bob Holden, a ballpark supporter.

The ticking clock has the potential to hurt or harm the bill's chances in the upper chamber.

With time running out, a filibuster doesn't have to last too long to be successful. However, stadium foes may been reluctant to burn up floor time if it jeopardizes legislation they support that is awaiting final action.

The state's share of funding for a $346 million downtown St. Louis ballpark would be $210 million over 30 years to retire bonds. The team, city and county would also contribute financially.

The remaining state spending authorized by the bill would be used to renovate the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, home to baseball's Royals and football's Chiefs; maintain the St. Louis Blues hockey team's arena; and help build convention centers in Branson and Springfield.

The bill's $644 million total cost would be paid over 30 years. Supporters say the funds would come from new revenue generated by the projects.

A provision stripped by the Senate but restored by a House committee would make $250 million available for economic development projects in rural Missouri.

The bill is SB 1279.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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