SHOW ME CENTER HAS HAD A BIG IMPACT

More than 3 million patrons have had a single destination in mind over the past 10 years: the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

The combined sports complex and performance arena has been quite a success story over the years, including financially. It has operated in the black each of its 10 years of operation.

The center was constructed as a joint project of the city and Southeast Missouri State University using bonds approved by voters. The bonds are being repaid with a hotel tax that also funds the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The tax has also generated enough revenue to pay off bonds used to build the new Osage Community Centre and the Shawnee Park Softball Complex.

What draws paying customers to the Show Me Center? Entertainers, political figures, wrestlers and sports teams all have been at center stage at one time or another, each appealing to its own segment of the public.

The biggest draw in the past decade was a speech by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. A close second was World Wrestling Federation events -- showing the diversity of the center.

Highlights at the Show Me Center abound, depending on individual tastes and experiences. There are fond memories of Bob Hope hitting a golf ball off the roof during the grand opening in August 1987. And who could forget the bull that charged into the stands during a rodeo in 1992?

At the same time, thousands of areas residents have enjoyed events such as symphony performances and ballets. The Show Me Center is negotiating for a visit by the St. Louis Symphony next spring.

Credit for the success of the Show Me Center is due in large part to a combination of hard work by the center's staff and the ongoing support of patrons willing to pay to attend events there.

As the only center of its size between St. Louis and Memphis, the Show Me Center has a bright future. Congratulations to all who have had a hand in making the first decade a memorable one.