CVB AT WORK: MURALS, SPECIAL EVENTS, CONVENTIONS BRING VISITORS TO CAPE GIRARDEAU

Betty Grable, most noted for her roles in "Pin-Up Girl" and World War II fund raising -- she sold more savings bonds than anyone -- was born in St. Louis.

Rush Limbaugh, host of the most listened to radio talk show in America, was born in Cape Girardeau.

Linda Godwin, an astronaut and physicist with NASA, is a native of Oak Ridge.

These and other native Missourians can be seen on the Missouri Wall of Fame on the floodwall along the Mississippi River in downtown Cape Girardeau.

"Murals are a big draw for people visiting the Cape Girardeau area," said Lin Jones, group sales director for the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Wall of Fame mural, which covers almost a two-block-long stretch of the wall, contains 45 famous Missourians, including former U.S. President Harry S. Truman; James Cash Penney, who was born in Hamilton, Mo., and founded JCPenney Co.; and Susan Blow, who was born in St. Louis and founded the first successful public kindergarten.

Also on the Cape Girardeau mural list is a 320-foot-long mural on the river side of the wall between Themis and Broadway; the Parker Mural (1986) on a building near Water Street and Themis; Washington School Mural (1987); Riverfest Mural (1989) facing Spanish Street in the block between Broadway and Themis; Bi-Centennial Mural, near Broadway and Fountain; and the Heritage of Music Mural at Broadway and Frederick.

People like to visit the downtown river district, said Jones. "Bus loads of people start their Cape Girardeau tour along Water Street just inside the river wall. They want to see the Mississippi River."

Jones, who was named to her position as group sales director in 1998, is also responsible for enhancing the city's image as a destination for conventions and visitors. She creates brochures and serves as special-activities coordinator during festivals and special events in the city.

The city has two large festivals downtown: the annual Riverfest in June and the City of Roses Musical Festival in October. Two more events attract large crowds: the Air Festival scheduled for July 10 and 11, and the Southeast Missouri District Fair in Arena Park in September.

"A lot of activities impact visitors to Cape Girardeau," said Jones. These include the annual arts and crafts extravaganza held at a number of sites on a November weekend, the annual Mississippi Valley Drive, various golf tournaments and a number of large soccer tournaments.

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.

"Cape Girardeau has a strong image in the tourism industry," said Terry Clark-Bauer, who became CVB director in July 1998.

After more than seven months on the job, Clark-Bauer, who has a dozen years experience in tourism and CVB operations, says she is impressed by the potential of growth in the CVB and the community.

Renovation of the new CVB headquarters in the old bank building at Broadway and Main is expected to get under way soon.

Cape Girardeau has a lot going for it, says Clark-Bauer. Southeast Missouri State University draws thousands of people every year; Cape Girardeau is the biggest shopping center between St. Louis and Memphis; medical facilities, movie theaters and restaurants all attract people from more than a 100-mile radius, she said.

Historic sites such as the Glenn House, Oliver House, the historical society's museum, and Old McKendree Methodist Church attract visitors.

Tourism efforts to bring people and money to town are the aim of the CVB, the organization that represents the city and encourages visitors to get off the interstate at Cape Girardeau.

Tourism is the second largest industry in the state. This includes visits by motor coach tours, riverboats, and special events.

Clark-Bauer and Jones agree that special events, conventions, boat traffic from RiverBarge Excursions of New Orleans and the Delta Queen Riverboat Co. -- Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen -- and numerous bus traffic account for thousands of visitors to the Cape Girardeau area.

Clark-Bauer has instituted a record-tracking system at the CVB, which will result in an annual report for future uses. "This system has been in effect since I started here," she said.

The CVB is tracking the economic impact of tourism on the city. Clark-Bauer said her staff will track sales and inquiries from tourists. In addition, staff members will track the types of accounts serviced, including motor coaches, meeting and convention groups, trade shows and special events.

"The economic impact is an overview of what a visitor would spend in a community when they come," she said. A leisure traveler, for example, spends $35 to $50 for a one-day visit.

Clark-Bauer plans to track several visitors throughout the year to develop a spending profile to help determine tourism's direct and indirect economic impact.

During one month last fall, the CVB received 255 email requests for information about Cape Girardeau. During the same month, 426 inquiries were made through the bureau's 800 number, and 3,039 clients used the bureau's Web site.

River boat traffic to the area this year will result in more than a dozen stops along the Mississippi River in 1999, including six stops by the R/B River Explorer, a floating hotel and touring vessel out of New Orleans.

The schedule also includes stops by all three Delta Queen paddlewheelers, including the July 3 stop by the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen en route on the annual New Orleans-to-St. Louis riverboat race. Each of the riverboats carry from 300 to 400 passengers.

More than 20 bus tours are already on the scheduled for 1999, and more are in the making. Typically, a motor coach with between 40 and 55 passengers aboard will spend an average of $2,800 to $3,000 during a day or night in town.

"And we have many class reunions each year," said Jones. "We have more than 30 already on the schedule and will probably double that total."

A number of conventions are already on the annual schedule, including some which bring in 200 to 400 people and attract thousands of others. The Midwest Forest Products Show, held every two years at the Show Me Center, features forest equipment and workshops.

The North American Mycological Association convention will be of interest to many people. The association, which will occupy more than 100 rooms the weekend of Aug. 12 through 15, is made up of mushroom hunters. They will pursue their hunt at Trail of Tears State Park.

Also on the schedule for the first time this year is a Women in Agriculture convention in September. Other conventions already on the schedule include the Master Gardeners of Missouri in September and the Four Seasons Audubon Society in April.

BOAT DOCKINGS

June 1: River Explorer, 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June 21: River Explorer, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 3: Great River Race, between New Orleans and St. Louis, stop at Cape Girardeau:

Delta Queen, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mississippi Queen, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 6 Mississippi Queen, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 12: American Queen, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 16: River Explorer, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aug. 7: Delta Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aug. 11: Mississippi Queen, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Aug. 26: American Queen, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aug. 29: River Explorer, 3 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sept. 17: River Explorer, 1 p.m., overnight.

Sept. 18: River Explorer, departs, 6 a.m.

Oct. 9: Mississippi Queen, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nov. 2: River Explorer, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"Why get off the interstate at Cape Girardeau?"

A number of attractions and events attract attentions to the "City of Roses," say officials of the city's Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is located in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Mostly, they want to see the Mississippi River. Other attractions include:

*Mississippi River

*Glenn House

*Old St. Vincent's Church

*Murals

*Shopping

*Iron Mountain Railroad

*Bollinger Mill

*Trail of Tears

*River Ridge Winery

*Riverfest (June 11-12)

*Southeast Missouri Fair (Sept.)

*Air Festival (July 10-11)

*City of Rose Music Festival (Oct. 8-9)

*Arts and Crafts Extravaganza (Nov.)

*Mississippi River Valley Drives