WEEKEND EVENTS LEAVE `NO ROOM AT THE INNS'

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Cape Girardeau's tourism business may be bursting at the seams this weekend as the city prepares to host a number of activities ranging from exotic animal sales to sports to the latest in home improvements.

"We've run out of room," said Cathy Crites, a representative of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Tourism Bureau. "We're having to refer people to Sikeston and Perryville."

Dave Hale agrees.

"Our brochure describing the annual 5-H Ranch Exotic Animal Auction has accommodation listings throughout Cape County," said Hale, owner of 5-H Ranch. "This year's listings should have included Perry County to the north and Scott County to the south.

"We're really having trouble finding places for people to stay," he said, explaining that hundreds of potential buyers flock into this area twice a year spring and fall seeking exotic animal bargains.

The annual auction usually attracts about 5,000 buyers for each day's session.

"We've always had problems finding lodgings," added Hale. "But this year, it's even tougher."

A look at the weekend's schedule explains why. No less than five big events are scheduled in Cape Girardeau, and at least four of them require lodgings. On schedule are:

H & H Exotic Animal Auction, at Hale's 5-H Ranch, which attracts up to 5,000 people each day.

SEMOtion Relays, Southeast Missouri State University, which attract from 800 to 1,000 athletes and as many as 2,000 track and field fans.

Ozark Body Building Championships, Holiday Inn Convention Center, 125 to 150 competitors, and up to 1,200 fans for the final rounds.

Missouri Conference on History, about 150 people expected for the two-day event, at the Holiday Inn.

The SEMO Homebuilders Home/Garden/Craft Show, which is expected to attract as many as 10,000 people during its three-day run at the Show Me Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

This is also opening weekend for the St. Louis, Iron Mountain Railroad season, and the Spring Celebration opens at the Glenn House here.

"We're expecting 800 to 1,000 competitors for the SEMOtion Relays," said Ron Hines, of the university's sports information office. "Some of the athletes are staying as far away as Carbondale, Ill. University of Illinois track people are staying at Sikeston.

The relays get under way at 10 a.m. Friday, and as many as 2,000 fans are expected for the Friday and Saturday session.

"Some activities the heptathlon and the decathlon get under way Thursday about 1 p.m.," said Hines.

The Ozarks Bodybuilding Championships is a one-day event, Saturday, but most competitors will be staying overnight, as will some of the fans, said Doug Friese, of Universal Physique.

"We're looking at about 125 competitors right now," he said. "And, we've already sold 500 tickets for the evening session, and expect that to more than double."

Prejudging in bodybuilding competition starts at 9 a.m., with the evening show at 7 p.m.

"We usually have 400 to 600 people for the prejudging," said Friese. "The bulk of the tickets already sold are from out-of-towners, and many of those will be staying at least one night."

The 33rd Annual Missouri Conference on History will be held Friday and Saturday at the Holiday Inn. Among subjects at the conference, which is hosted in conjunction with the Missouri Geographic Alliance, will be the John F. Kennedy presidency, Missouri geography and history, and the Missouri Bar Association.

Featured speaker for the event is Dr. James David Barber, the James B. Duke professor of political science at Duke University and one of the country's foremost authorities on the American presidency.

The home builders show will open at 4 p.m. Friday, and will continue Saturday and Sunday.

The exotic animal auction is a four-day event, starting Thursday, and marks the 20th exotic animal auction to be held at the 5-H Ranch.

Hale said exotic animal dealers from around the U.S. and parts of Canada will be here to buy and sell exotic animals.

"We'll have a wide selection of animals for the spring sale," said Hale. "We'll start each day's activities by auctioning off 50 pot-bellied pigs."

Other animals for Thursday's auction will include bison, yak, water buffalo, miniature cattle, Watusi cattle, wild goats and the exotic "Belted Galloway" cattle. Other animals to be auctioned throughout the week include deer, elk, antelope, horses, game birds, zebras, llamas, and camels.

"As always we have a wide selection of camels," said Hale.

The Belted Galloways could be a favorite among the exotic cattle, noted Hale. "These are black cattle, with a white band."

The auction will get under way at 10 a.m. each day.