TOURISM BOARD PRUNES FUNDS REQUESTS

The Convention and Visitors Bureau will continue operations in Cape Girardeau if the bureau's advisory board has its way.

The board voted unanimously Wednesday to continue the bureau's operations as it trimmed a list of more than 30 funding proposals to eight during a special session held at the city manager's office in City Hall.

"I think we should help the people who are paying the tax," said Bob Hoppmann, a member of the advisory board. "Retaining the CVB will do that."

Pete Poe, another board member, agreed.

"I think the original spirit of the motel and tourist tax was to pay for the Show Me Center and help tourism," he said.

Hoppmann and Poe, however, agreed that the committee should look at other proposals that would require some of the funds.

The advisory committee has been looking at more than 30 proposals, ranging from small requests for brochures to sports complexes at Shawnee Park to a new city park along Hopper/Mount Auburn Road.

The motion to retain the bureau was the first of six motions that were presented during the three-hour session. It did not specify the amount of funding for the bureau.

A second motion was approved, however, to meet with bureau officials to discuss a five-year funding program.

In other action, the advisory committee voted to submit the top eight projects, which includes the bureau proposal, to the Cape Girardeau City Council.

"We want to seek council input on the projects at this time," said Dan Drury. "We've pared the list to eight and want further direction."

The council had requested proposals concerning the convention and tourism tax in October and more than 30 requests were received. The advisory committee was charged with making recommendations to the council.

The funds have previously been used almost exclusively to fund the bureau and to help retire the debt on a $5 million bond issue to help build the Show Me Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

The eight projects that were recommended to the council, in no particular order, are:

Proposal for a sports complex at Shawnee Park, which would include softball and soccer facilities.

Proposal to retain the bureau.

Proposal to develop a new park at Hopper and Mt. Auburn, with a sports complex.

Proposal to improve soccer fields at Shawnee Park.

Proposal for Convention and Tourist Center at Route K and Interstate 55.

Proposal for a major tourist attraction.

Proposal for bicentennial celebration funds.

Proposal for SEMO Fair advertising funds.

In other actions, the advisory committee approved earmarking one year's Show Me Center payments $280,000 into a special reserve fund and voted to send letters to each of the people involved in the top eight proposals, saying that additional information may be needed by the advisory board or the council.

City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, who attended the meeting, told the group that projected income during the 1991-92 year from the motel and tourism tax was about $603,000.

"Of that, $280,000 will go for payment for the Show Me Center," said Fischer. "Counting what the fund has in reserve now ($468,000), that will leave $791,000. Another $280,000 will go into the reserve fund for the house payment (Show Me Center), which brings available funds down to $511,000."

That figure does not count the funding for the bureau, noted Fischer. The bureau has been funded at about $300,000 each of the past two years.

Before the board started discussions on fund requests, bureau Director Lyn Muzzy appeared before the advisory committee to discuss the Molly Brown's Dinner Theater.

"The dinner theater, located in Hannibal, Mo., wants to test the market here," said Muzzy. "For a $7,500 guarantee, the theater group will present eight shows here."

Muzzy said each show would have capacity to seat 200 people at each performance. The show would cost $10 per person without dinner and $20 with dinner."

"I'm confident that we can sell more than enough tickets to cover the guarantee," said Muzzy.

The board gave Muzzy the go-ahead to contact Dick McHargue, owner and operator of the dinner theater. McHargue is considering Cape Girardeau for the opening of another Molly Brown's Theater with a permanent operation.