PARK BOARD: JAYCEES OFFER SUPPORT TO SPORTS COMPLEX IDEA

The Cape Girardeau Jaycees Monday extended its support for a city-funded recreational facility and warned against spending excess tourism funds on too many other projects.

Kevin Lasher of the Jaycees told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board that the group "whole-heartedly" supports spending city tourism tax dollars on a recreational facility that would include additional softball and soccer fields.

The city is considering the proposal, but other projects including a proposal to turn the St. Vincent's Seminary property into a tourist attraction also are vying for tourism funds.

"We want to let the community and the city council know that there are people out there who support this project," Lasher said.

He said such a facility has long been needed in Cape Girardeau and would boost the city's economy by attracting large regional and national sports tournaments.

Lasher said that not only has the Colonial Cape Girardeau Foundation asked for some of the tourism money, but the city council announced last week that its share of funding in a new county-wide economic development group also is likely to be funded with the tourism fund.

The fund is financed by a quarter-cent sales tax on motel and restaurant receipts and is earmarked for payments on the Show Me Center bonds, tourism and economic development.

The city's Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Board recently recommended the excess funds would best be spent on a recreation/sports-type facility.

"Our concern is that somewhere in the shuffle, the funding for this project is going to be lost," Lasher said. "Although the seminary project is a worthy one, we agree with the CVB board that a sports complex is the best use of that money."

Park board Chairman Jim Grebing said that for the council to approve the project, the park board likely will need to generate additional public support.

"The tourism pie keeps being divided as everyone tries to get a piece of it, and there's not going to be enough left for dessert," he said. "We need to let people know that this facility would be bringing a new industry to Cape Girardeau: regional recreation."

Park board member Julia Kridelbaugh contrasted plans for a recreation facility with some cities' efforts to secure riverboat gambling as boost for economic development.

"This is a much more wholesome, family-oriented activity," she said. "Too many people think it's just for kids playing soccer or adults who play softball.

"But this is something that would benefit the whole community."

In other business Monday:

The board heard an update on the recreational trail portion of the Cape LaCroix Creek Flood Control Project, which likely now will include a 10-foot-wide underpass at the intersection with Bloomfield Road and an eight-foot section under Kingshighway.

Scott Williams and Penny Wingerter, recreation coordinators, reported on the summer and fall city recreation programs.

Parks and Recreation Director Dan Muser said Central Pool is closed while the city awaits delivery of the new "bubble" cover for the pools.