River Campus - a review of pros, cons

I've been debating with myself for about three weeks on writing about Southeast Missouri State University's RIVER CAMPUS.

Last Saturday I decided not to. But this Sunday while in Paducah, Ky., I picked up Paducah's daily newspaper which featured at the top of the front page their optimistic story on their $34 million Four Rivers Center for the performing arts. A photo showed the steel frame going up on the structure which is 20 percent completed and targeted to open in October 2003.

The article mentioned a $44 million center in Appleton, Wis. Both projects are moving ahead on construction even though both are $7 million to $8 million short of the necessary funds required.

In Paducah the project is being sold on what it will do for the community ... culturally, financially, educationally ... and for economic development.

"If the increase in quality of life helps bring one plant in, it can pay for itself very quickly" said Bill Minix, senior vice president of First Community.

It strikes me that Paducah is about to achieve something which is less than what Cape Girardeau is risking to let slip through its fingers. Cape's River Campus project promises a greater cost-to-benefit ratio if we proceed.

My experience tells me that if the Cape Girardeau funding of the River Campus is not in place within the next four months ... the state's $18 million dollar matching money will be in serious jeopardy and without which the proposed River Campus could be abandoned.

Leaving what? A number of slowly deteriorating historic buildings on the finest acreage on the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Memphis -- site which, along with the new BILL EMERSON MEMORIAL BRIDGE could make the east entry into Cape one of the finest city entries in the Midwest.

Where are we now?

1. The state has committed to $18 million provided:

a. The city tax (already in place and generating funds for two years) raises $8 million. Note: This current tax also will generate $10 to $15 million for additional city park developments over a 20-year period.

b. Southeast Missouri State University raises $9 million in private donations. The university has raised $6 million to date and will have no trouble raising the balance once the campus becomes a reality.

2. Hopefully, legal proceedings will end over the next one to three months.

What do we get?

1. A 1,000-seat theater laid out for professional-quality sets, acoustics and viewing.

a. Note: The top-drawing Webster Groves Repertory Theatre in St. Louis seats 750 (recent additions take the capacity to 900, which is used for the three-week-long professional touring shows). Wendy and I have season tickets, and I'm sure some of these Broadway-quality productions would sell out on three-day weekends in Cape Girardeau.

Webster's studio theater seats 125 for low-scenery, top quality productions.

Most New York theaters seat fewer than 1,000 people.

b. The nationally famous LYCEUM THEATRE in Arrow Rock, Mo., (50 miles from Kansas City) seats 475 and draws over 28,000 people annually to this historic town with less than 1,000 population. Over 200,000 tourists annually visit this antiques-and-history destination.

2. Cape area citizens will receive a new park site, plus a museum capable of displaying the many art collections now in storage.

3. Summer camps for area youths featuring the finest facilities for music, dance and art.

4. Additional revenue for area motels and restaurants.

5. A keystone catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Cape on the Mississippi ... and south Cape real estate.

What does Southeast Missouri State University get?

1. All of the above as citizens of the community, plus:

2. 90,000 square feet of educational space freed up on the university campus.

3. New space for teaching the arts at the River Campus.

4. A potential 1,000-student campus (450 are already enrolled in the arts courses involved). Having 550 additional students annually would be an economic boom for Cape's economy.

Some objections:

1. Distance from the main campus. Many major university campuses are spread farther apart than the distance here (Missouri University for example). Innovative minds can solve this objection.

a. Course scheduling can resolve most travel issues. With most college students taking five years to graduate with only 12 hours credit per semester ... this should be no problem.

2. Contrary to the original proposal ... the city does not guarantee the bonds.

3. The election process: Whether you agree or disagree ... that's behind us. The issue now ... with time running out ... is are you for or against the campus.

4. The cost: Each person should do his own evaluation on this. I think the benefits for the city, the university and the area far exceed the costs.

I respect our readers' opinions whether you agree or disagree with me, but I felt I needed to share my feelings on this rare opportunity. Thank you for reading.

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Circuit breaker: Congress denounces pledge ruling: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, whose decisions have been overturned by the Supreme Court 27 of 29 times in recent years, is likely to see history repeat itself. A three-judge panel that deemed the Pledge of Allegiance "unconstitutional" was met with public and political outcry. Republicans and Democrats alike reacted by calling the judgment "stupid," "disgraceful," "idiotic" and "political activism run amok." ... But the reality is these judges with an activist agenda are the very ones Sen. Tom Daschle and Sen. Patrick Leahy would like to appoint. Why else would Daschle block the nominations of men and women who respect the Constitution and our country's heritage? Daschle quickly held a vote that rebuked the 9th Circuit Court for a decision that substituted personal bias for the law. Why, then, has it taken a whole year to hold hearings for nominees who are committed to upholding the law in the first place?

Meanwhile, schools in California are forcing seventh graders to "become Muslims" for three weeks. It's ridiculous. Two judges can prohibit millions of students from saying the Pledge of Allegiance because of its reference to God, while children in California are being ordered against their will to participate in Islamic rituals and worship. Friends, this is a sign of things to come if we don't take judicial appointees seriously. -- Washington Update

Gary Rust is the chairman of Rust Communications.