PARKS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION HOPES TO ATTRACT COPRORATE FUND

The Cape Girardeau Parks Development Foundation will learn more about corporate and private sponsorship for the Shawnee and Osage Park Development projects at Wednesday's meeting.

"I think we'll be able to see where we are in terms of corporate sponsorship at Wednesday's foundation meeting," said Cape Parks and Recreation Board member Jay Knudtson at Monday night's meeting.

"I feel real good about the talks we had with companies like Pepsi and Coca Cola, because both listened to what we needed and neither one slammed the door on our face," said Knudtson.

"We've heard concerns about exclusive sponsorship and so forth, which is what we expected going in," he added. "We talked about having Pepsi become a major donor for the softball complex and make Coca-Cola a major donor for the Osage project. That way it wouldn't turn into a competitive situation for either one."

Added Knudtson, "The thing that makes me feel confident is that we've got good people on the board of directors. With people like Judy Wilferth, Ann Brinkopf, Marsha Limbaugh and Al Spradling III working on it, it's in capable hands."

The purpose of the campaign is to raise additional funds to enhance both projects. A large part of the funding for both projects is coming from surplus revenue from the city's tourism tax.

The Shawnee Park development includes the construction of a softball complex of five fields and a concession building, providing a site for league play and state and regional tournaments.

A second phase will include three additional fields. A four-field addition to the city's current soccer complex is also planned.

The Osage Park development includes the construction of a 34,000-square-foot multi-use building that will be used for recreation programs, conventions, large meetings and special events.

This area will be developed as a park, and the Cape LaCroix Hiking and Biking Trail will run through the park.

"This is the first capital campaign for parks that Cape Girardeau has ever had," said Jim Grebing, chairman of the Parks and Recreation advisory board. Grebing also is a member of the board of directors for the parks development foundation.

"This is really the project of the '90s as far as parks and recreation is concerned," said Grebing. "I would think there would be corporations like Pepsi, Coca-Cola and (Procter and Gamble) that would see this as a good opportunity to get involved in a project of this magnitude."