MERCHANTS CONCERNED BY RETAIL SALES AT THE SHOW ME CENTER

A piano sale at the Show Me Center this weekend and a campus clothing sale April 22 renewed a debate about using the building as a retail outlet.

Harry Rediger, manager of JCPenney in Cape Girardeau, said, "When you take a tax-funded facility and use for retail events it does border on unfair competition.

"We welcome competition. That's no problem, but if we are supporting and funding the entity we are in competition with, that's a concern."

Rediger and other business leaders have met with university officials in the past and as recently as this week to say they don't like retail vendors at the Show Me Center.

"It's causing problems in the business community for people who actually helped fund the building through taxes and who have supported the university through their recent $25 million foundation event," Rediger said.

"Our concerns have kind of fallen on deaf ears at this point."

Show Me Center manager David Ross defended renting arena space to out-of-town merchants.

Ross said: "I am in the space rental business whether I am renting that for basketball games or concerts or wedding receptions."

Even the university pays to rent space at the building for commencement and other events.

Ross said no tax money goes into operating expenses at the building. "We have to generate the money to pay the salaries of the people who work here, to buy the equipment. We are self supporting."

Construction of the Show Me Center is paid by a local motel and restaurant tax.

Started as a joint venture between the university and city, the building is on university ground and has been deeded to the university. The university is responsible for any operating losses.

"What I am trying to do is survive," Ross said. "If you only do what doesn't upset anybody, then you don't do anything at all."

As long as a business has the proper license and is not breaking any laws, Ross sees no problem renting them space.

"If I turn them down, then that would be discrimination," he said. "I think we would be open up to litigation."

Both the Clothing Concepts sale on April 22 and the Collins Music sale this weekend have the proper city traveling merchant's licenses, which costs $50.

Collins Music is out of Sikeston. Clothing Concepts is from Lenexa, Kan.

Twelve retail vendors have rented the Show Me Center since 1987, or an average of one and a half a year.

Bill Shivelbine, president of Shivelbine's Music and Sound, said of the piano sale, "I'm totally opposed to it."

Shivelbine said his business has been brisk this weekend, but like Rediger he believes the piano sale at the Show Me Center is not competing on equal ground.

"I've got to pay city taxes. The money we make stays here in the city," he said. "Besides, we've paid for the Show Me Center with our taxes. I think it's a misuse for Show Me Center."

Ross said the companies pay sales tax on sales at the Show Me Center just as if they rented any other building in town.

He would not reveal exactly what rent was paid for the two events. But published rates indicate that Clothing Concepts paid $200 in basic rent, while the piano people paid at least $300.

The operating agreement between the city and the university lists community uses for the building like major entertainment attractions, concerts, conventions, flea markets and antique shows, auto and boat shows, farm and home shows, industrial trade shows.