CITY NARROWS CVB DIRECTORSHIP LIST TO 5

Cape Girardeau has narrowed its search for a director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau to five finalists.

The city isn't releasing the finalists' names, said city manager Michael G. Miller. "We have some from out of state and some local," he said.

Members of the City Council, the CVB advisory board and employees will meet with the finalists next week, Miller said. Comments from those meetings will help Miller make his final decision.

"We hope to make a decision sometime soon thereafter," he said.

Miller said he is "very pleased" with the applicants.

Gary Bunting, chairman of the CVB advisory board, said the new director will help shape the future of the agency.

"I think we're looking for somebody who's going to get us to 2004, somebody progressive and promoting," Bunting said.

In 2004, the city's hotel-motel-restaurant tax, which funds the CVB's operations, expires. The director will have to help convince voters to extend that tax, Bunting said.

"We've got between now and 2004 to do the job to convince the city that there is a need for the CVB, and the CVB is doing its job," he said.

The hotel-motel-restaurant tax also is paying off the bonds that financed the construction of the Show Me Center and is paying off construction costs for the Osage Community Centre and Shawnee Park Sports Complex.

Bunting said the CVB board hopes to expand its operations, with more emphasis on cultural tourism and continued work to attract conventions and bus tours.

"Now that we have a new office, we'll have a visitor's center. We have an active board. Now all we need is the new director," he said.

City officials hope to have the new CVB director in place by July 1. The post was vacated in April after Mary Miller, who took over the job in 1993, resigned. She came under fire from some board members and CVB employees who alleged she was a difficult boss and poorly organized manager.