BOATS AND BUSES BRINGING MANY TO CAPE

Rollin' down the river, or rollin' down the road, tourism dollars will soon be rollin' into Cape Girardeau.

Studies show that the tourism and travel industry has been on the grow over the past few years.

Over all, Cape Girardeau County travelers spent more than $41 million annually, generating some 900 jobs and more than $12 million in wages and salaries.

That includes the boat and bus industries that bring thousands of visitors to the Cape Girardeau area each year.

The first bus tour of the season came to town recently, and the paddle wheelers won't be far behind.

The riverboats are expected to bring more than 3,500 visitors to the city this year. Bus tours to the city bring another 2,000-plus visitors.

"We already have 26 bus tours scheduled," said Lin Jones, group sales director for the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau. "And bus tours are just now beginning to make reservations."

The river city

Cape Girardeau, a city that features a number of attractions -- 19th century buildings and homes, the historic downtown district, the Mississippi River, old Lorimier Cemetery and Cape Rock Park, where Jean Baptiste Girardot established his trading post in in the 1700s -- is a stop for a number of river vessels and tourist busses each summer and fall.

Riverboat traffic to downtown Cape Girardeau is expected to be up this year, and tourist bus traffic has already surpassed last year's numbers.

The "queens," which made just four stops here in 2000, will double their stops in 2001, including the return of the American Queen, which bypassed Cape Girardeau throughout last summer's schedule.

The American Queen, largest of the paddle wheelers in the Delta Queen Steamboat Company fleet, will make three stops at Riverfront Park this year.

The American Queen, 418-feet long with a 400-plus passenger capacity, will to be the first to dock here this year, at 12:30 p.m. June 12.

The Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen will each stop during the annual Great Steamboat Race -- from New Orleans to St. Louis -- on July 3. The crews from the boats will join the excitement at Riverfront Park, with the Captain Foghorn Follies, to be held on the downtown courthouse grounds.

Also on the summer schedule will be the R/B River Explorer, a floating hotel and touring vessel headquartered in New Orleans. The Explorer will make eight stops here, including a couple of overnight stops. The Explorer is made from two barges and travels the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri rivers on various trips.

Upcoming events

Visitors will be flocking to Cape Girardeau this month for some big events, starting with the Home Builders show March 23-25, at the Show Me Center. Another big event is the Spring Arts & Crafts Fair, March 24-25 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building.

On April 8, the Community Counseling Center Foundation will sponsor its annual antique and collectibles show at the Arena Building. The Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive will be held April 21-22, featuring a number of stops throughout the Southeast Missouri area, from Perryville south to Benton and from Sedge-wickville east to Trail of Tears State Park and Cape Gir-ardeau.

Two large events held outside the Cape Girardeau area funnel visitors into the area -- the annual Sikeston Rodeo and a national quilt show at Paducah, Ky., which will be held later this month.

BOAT DOCKINGS

* May 29: River Explorer, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

* June 1-2: River Explorer, 6 p.m. (overnight) 6 a. m.

* June 12: American Queen, 12:30 to 5 p.m.

* July 3: Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen, 8 a.m. to noon.

* July 10: Mississippi Queen, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

* July 13: American Queen, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

* July 18: Delta Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

* July 27: River Barge 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.

* July 30-July 31: River Barge, (overnight), 6 p.m., 6 a.m.

* Aug. 9: River Barge 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.

* Sept. 10: River Barge 3 a.m. to 1 p.m.

* Sept. 19: Delta Queen, 11 a.m. to 2 P.M.

* Sept. 27: River Barge 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.

* Sept. 30-Oct. 1: River Barge 6 p.m., 6 a.m.

* Oct. 9: Delta Queen, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m..

* Nov. 16: American Queen, 1 to 5 p.m.