RIVER CAMPUS FUNDING FALLING INTO PLACE

Missouri may spend $16.55 million to help build Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus.

The state allocated $4.6 million for the project last year. This year another $11.95 million in state money has been included in Gov. Mel Carnahan's proposed budget for fiscal 2001.

Southeast wants to develop a former Catholic seminary at Cape Girardeau into a school for the visual and performing arts. The project carries a $36 million price tag, the largest in the school's history.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, Southeast's president, said the state initially was asked to provide $17.8 million for the project. But Dobbins said the state reduced its commitment by $1.25 million after $5 million in state tax credits were authorized for the project. The tax credits will be used to help raise private donations for the project totaling more than $10 million, Dobbins said.

Southeast initially planned to raise $8.9 million in private funds but increased the goal after securing the tax credits last year.

"We are very encouraged that the private funding will move forward," he said.

Cape Girardeau is to provide the remaining $8.9 million through the issuance of bonds. The bonds could be issued through a state agency. The city expects to retire the bonds with money from motel and restaurant taxes.

The bonds haven't been issued because the city funding arrangement has been challenged in court by Cape Girardeau businessman Jim Drury. Dobbins said he hopes the legal hurdles can be cleared soon to free up the city funding.

Even without the city funding, the project is moving ahead.

Dobbins said the state funding is on solid ground. The project ranks third on the governor's funding list of college capital improvement projects. There are 13 projects for four-year institutions and additional projects for the state's community colleges on the list.

The university has firm commitments of more than $1 million in private money and expects to raise the rest of the needed money.

Dobbins, other Southeast officials and members of the River Campus Board of Managers met Thursday with representatives from two of three architectural firms being considered to handle construction design work for the project. The third firm is scheduled to make a presentation today.

The Board of Regents may listen to presentations from one or more of the firms at the board's meeting next Thursday.

"This is the largest project in the history of Southeast Missouri State University, and it is one of the most complex projects at Southeast. The board may have some questions and issues they want to ask," said Dobbins.

If all goes right, an architectural firm could be hired as early as February, the school president said.

There's already a conceptual design for the River Campus, but some changes may be made. Dobbins said the design of the museum may be revised so the proposed structure won't block the view of the historic St. Vincent's Seminary building. Construction design work is expected to take a year to complete.

Meanwhile, work on asbestos remediation and demolition of the old gymnasium could begin as early as this summer, he said.