Cape Girardeau, Jackson preparing for economic boost from Blue Angels appearance at Regional Air Show

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels' appearance in the Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival may be more than two months away, but area hotels and tourism officials already realize the $1 million effect the event could have on the community.

Scheduled for June 19 and 20, the air festival marks the return of the Blue Angels precision flying team that last appeared in Cape Girardeau in 1992.

"It helps any time you bring people to the community and spend money, but an event of this magnitude you're talking about a pretty significant economic impact," said Chuck Martin, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau. "But in addition to the money it will bring in, the event also casts our community in a good light. The Blue Angels usually come to bigger markets, so landing them here is a pretty significant accomplishment."

Martin said a normal air festival would attract between 8,000 and 10,000 people but since the Blue Angels are making an appearance that number should increase to about 15,000 for the weekend. While the majority of attendees will not stay in hotels, Martin said most people will spend money on gas and food while at the festival and in the Cape Girardeau area.

Martin expects those visitors staying overnight to spend $125 on lodging, meals, gas and entertainment. But a hotel room is hard to come by in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

Martin estimates that 400 of the 1,000 rooms in both cities will be filled by people in town to attend the air festival. Other rooms will be occupied by various sports tournaments in the area that weekend.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Drury hotels, Victorian Inn and Suites, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Hampton Inn and Super 8 hotels in Cape Girardeau were reporting no vacancies for June 19. In Jackson, the Drury Inn and Suites did not have any vacancies while the Comfort Suites had only a handicap-accessible room remaining. Rooms are still available at the Townhouse Inn in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

John Echimovich, director of operations of the hotel division at MidAmerica Hotels Corp., which owns Victorian Inn and Suites and Holiday Inn Express and Suites, said sports tournaments and the air festival were the reason why both hotels sold out months ago.

"We love it when it's busy like this," Echimovich said. "With a sold-out weekend it will be crazy for the hotels in town."

Bruce Loy, Cape Girardeau Regional Airport manager, said in addition to money spent on lodging, gas and meals in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, patrons will have an opportunity to spend money at one of 20 concessions booths. Additionally, the company that will manage the concessions booths is looking for 300 workers June 19 and 20.

"They'll receive a cut of the items sold at the booths, so that's another way to put money back into the economy that weekend," Loy said. "It's getting pretty difficult to get [the Blue Angels] to come to a smaller community. So I think we're extremely fortunate to have them here."

For more information about volunteering, working at the concessions booths or attending the event, visit www.capeairfestival.com/volunteers.aspx or call 334-6230.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

243-8600