Downtown groups need to join forces

The most remarkable thing about Cape Girardeau's downtown, other than its proximity to the Mississippi River and all the history that goes along with it, is the amount of hype it generates with few actual changes ever being made.

To explain:

There are at least nine groups whose missions involve improving downtown or attracting tourists there. They are the Downtown Merchants Association, Old Town Cape, Downtown Neighborhood Association, Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau, River Heritage Museum, City of Roses Music Festival, River Campus Advisory Board, Downtown Council of Churches and Convention and Visitors Bureau.

That's not counting the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, which has members from the downtown area, or the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, which is located downtown and has many of its events there.

But what's really happening? It seems for every successful business that opens, another one closes. If you include the eastern quarter of Broadway as part of downtown, there's really cause for despair. Although there are some active businesses, that stretch of Broadway is becoming a strip of empty theaters and storefronts with poorly maintained sidewalks with weeds growing up through the cracks.

It doesn't have to be that way.

Visitors to Cape Girardeau express their fascination with the downtown area. During the weekend of June 8 and 9, two passenger-carrying riverboats made stops here: the Mississippi Queen on Saturday and the River Explorer on Sunday. Those visits provided an example of what the area could be and why it isn't.

The Mississippi Queen visitors came during regular business hours on Saturday. They ate in the restaurants and collectively dropped thousands of dollars in the stores. They seemed genuinely delighted to be here, and the merchants seemed genuinely delighted to see them.

On the other hand, the River Explorer visitors wandered up and down Main and Spanish streets late Sunday morning looking for something to do. Several of them stopped by the Convention and Visitors Bureau tent in front of the Broadway floodgate to point out that only two downtown businesses were open. They wanted to know if that was typical for a Sunday with a riverboat in town. The Paddlewheelers, CVB volunteers who greet travelers as they come down the gangplank, could only shake their heads.

Interestingly, Old Town Cape's executive director, Catherine Dunlap, told a newspaper editor the preceding week that downtown businesses adjust their schedules to accommodate the boats. But on Saturday, several merchants said the boats only come when they are open, so they don't have to adjust their hours. (The Convention and Visitors Bureau has a boat schedule that lists several stops that clearly aren't during business hours.)

There seems to be a lack of communication.

And speaking of Old Town Cape, it has started a successful twilight concert series in Courthouse Park. But what about visible improvements to downtown?

The organization was started with about $80,000 in grant funds and in-kind donations back in 2000. Some of the money went to a consultant who drew his vision of downtown and presented it in March 2001. This was only the latest in a series of downtown plans that have been produced over the years since the floodwall went up.

And what happened to those plans? The latest consultant wanted better lighting, buried utility lines and garden focal points spread around downtown. It appears there has been no serious effort made to follow through on any of it.

While business owners can decide for themselves when they want to be open, they could be encouraged to make a united effort when riverboats dock. More importantly, contacts could be made with the riverboat companies to encourage them to stop at Cape Girardeau when businesses are likely to be open.

Some businesses have risen to the challenge of keeping downtown Cape alive and vital. But they have done this on their own for the most part, because it made good business sense.

If downtown is to be all it can be, those who cherish it must take a collaborative approach. The various groups should join forces and resources and get behind one effort that will make things better for everyone.

If that happens, satisfied tourists -- and area residents -- are sure to make the most of that wonderful section of our city.