CVB has strong transitional year

To the editor:

Congratulations on a successful transitional year with the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, and my thanks to director Chuck Martin and his professional staff on a great job of creating a new refined focus. This is the best year of tourism tax growth for Cape Girardeau in four years.

Many great things are happening in Cape Girardeau that will assist the bureau in marketing the community to the region. Two significant accomplishments this past year that primarily were funded through federal and state funds are the Red House interpretive center and the murals. Thank you to all those who worked so hard to ensure that some of our federal and state tax dollars got back to Cape Girardeau. Very often we see our hard-earned tax dollars get captured by large communities such as St. Louis and Kansas City. Both of these new assets will help the bureau when selling the community to visitors.

JOEL A. NEIKIRK, Cape Girardeau