ONE YEAR LATER: TOURISM FUNDS EYED FOR SPORTS COMPLEX

One year after Cape Girardeau voters killed a tax hike to fund a sports complex at Shawnee Park, the project could be resurrected through private donations and use of the city's tourism fund.

Last Nov. 7, Cape Girardeau voters rejected a three-year, quarter-cent sales tax proposal that would have funded the parks project.

The sports complex, which would include construction of five soccer fields, including a lighted stadium, and a five-field softball complex, is expected to cost about $2 million.

Jim Grebing, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, said Wednesday that the city's tourism fund could be used to help pay for the complex.

The Cape Girardeau City Council Oct. 21 approved unanimously a motion to solicit proposals for use of the city's convention and tourism funds, and Grebing said the money could breathe new life into the Shawnee Park project.

"Ever since the tourism fund was established, people have always suggested we might use this money for this kind of purpose," he said. "We've had the complex on the back burner since last year, but the need is still there."

Grebing said the city council's decision to solicit proposals for use of the tourism fund is a good opportunity for parks and recreation. The council will consider the proposals at its Nov. 18 meeting.

A 3 percent gross receipts tax on hotel and motel rooms and a 1 percent levy on restaurant sales is used to fund conventions and tourism in the city, in addition to other economic development activities.

Voters in 1983 approved the tax, which went into effect in January 1984.

Since the fund's inception, revenues have been used almost exclusively to fund the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau. Revenue from the tax also has been used to retire the debt on a $5 million bond issue used to fund the Show Me Center multipurpose building.

Revenue from the tax is expected to total about $600,000 next year, and the fund now has a reserve of about $450,000, according to city officials.

Currently, the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau is given $200,000 to $300,000 of the money, and is basically the only recipient of the tourism funds.

Grebing said a newly formed Cape Girardeau Parks Development Foundation likely will garner private donations from businesses and individuals that also could be used for the sports complex.

"The foundation gives you a way to solicit large and small contributions outside the realm of city resources," he said.

"It's clear that in the decade of the '90s, the federal government is going to continue passing more responsibility to states and, in turn, local governments, where there are more needs than the local taxes could ever support."

Grebing said that trend will make cities more reliant on "creative ways" to fund major city capital improvements.

Dan Muser, director of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, agreed that the key to any major capital improvement such as the Shawnee sports complex will be the availability of private donations and tourism funds.

"As far as the foundation's concerned, that's certainly something that would be an avenue for raising funds," he said. "The tourism money also would help.

"It would all depend on how much we would get. If we got the whole amount, it would certainly have a significant impact on the whole project."

Grebing said the softball complex, which would allow the city to host a number of regional, state and national tournaments, is an ideal use for tourism and economic development funds.

"One of the reasons we put the issue on the ballot last year was because we saw it as an economic development tool," Grebing said. "It would bring large numbers of teams to town for tournaments, they would stay a weekend and spend money.

"Anything you can do to boost sales tax is a real benefit to economic development."

Grebing said the complex also would improve the city's "quality of life," a goal that aligns with tourism efforts.

"There's no doubt in my mind, if we build it, people will come," he added.

Muser said user fees could provide another funding source for improvements like the sports complex.

He said the complex could be constructed in stages with revenue bonds that would be paid back with user fees.

"Given that it's probably not going to be something that's going to be built through funds from a tax increase, I think, among other things, money generated by groups that would be using this facility would be used to pay for the facility."

Grebing said he expects the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to recommend the tourism fund proposal when it meets Monday.

He said the proposal will outline the cost of such a complex and attempt to show the positive impact it would have on the city's economy.

"Based on my research of this issue, I think this is a proposal that, in my opinion, would qualify for that money," Grebing said.

"We want to get the concept out there on the table by the (next council meeting), but this is still a city council decision and we certainly don't want to tell them how to do it."