CAUTION ON CITY'S DEAL WITH AIRPLANE MAKER

The possibility of bringing 200 new jobs to Cape Girardeau is significant. Communities across Missouri 00 across the nation, for that matter -- have year-round campaigns to attract news businesses and industries that increase employment opportunities. Certainly there were other cities where Renaissance Aircraft could have relocated. But it chose Cape Girardeau.

That decision by the manufacturer of the Luscombe, a two-seat recreation airplane reminiscent of the early days of general aviation, was based in part on the fact that city officials were generous. The city proposes to construct a 50,000-square-foot facility and provide equipment, water lines, sewer lines, roads and parking lots at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

The city's share of bringing Renaissance to Cape Girardeau would be financed by a $2.1 million bond issue. In addition, the city is providing assistance to the aircraft maker to seek further economic-development assistance from the state.

The stakes in this deal are large enough to require due diligence on the city's part. This is why unsettled lawsuits against Renaissance need to be given careful consideration. One of the legal actions was brought by the Don Luscombe Aviation History Foundation, which contends it holds the certification for the Luscombe airplane.

Bruce Loy, the city's airport manager, was among the Cape Girardeans who worked to bring Renaissance here. He has weighed the legal issues surrounding the company and believes the lawsuits shouldn't stand in the way of the city's deal with the company. But lawsuits have a peculiar way of twisting and turning. Just one unfavorable court ruling could -- and the emphasis is on could -- put the city in a bind, should the deal go sour.

There is little doubt that a thriving company building a vintage airplane and employing 200 workers would be a feather in Cape Girardeau's industrial cap. But these outstanding lawsuits leave important question marks about the deal.

At the same time, it needs to be acknowledged that much of the information about the lawsuits came to this newspaper and to city officials from anonymous sources. You also have to wonder what the motivation of the sender was.

The city and others who work hard to bring new industry to Cape Girardeau aren't known for making reckless deals. We can only hope that the legal issues in this case have been thoroughly considered.