Post-Dispatch: Tour of Missouri gets support of tourism commission

By Tony Messenger
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
JEFFERSON CITY — The Tour of Missouri is likely to roll on in September, but a dispute over how state money is spent to support the September bike race is simmering beneath the surface.

Today, the Missouri Tourism Commission voted 7-0 to make cuts elsewhere in its budget rather than to sacrifice the $1.5 million dedicated to the tour. Commission members said the race is too important to economic development in the state, and it’s too close to its start, to cancel it now.

Ultimately, the question over whether to cancel the race belongs with the Tour of Missouri, Inc., a non-profit organization set up by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder to run the bike race. It’s the non-profit, and not the state, that has contracts to produce the race, and officials from the administration of Gov. Jay Nixon want to know how the money is being spent.

Earlier this week, Nixon budget director Linda Luebbering told tourism director Bob Smith that the state would not approve the $1.5 million payment to Tour of Missouri, Inc. And in a memo to Luebbering, economic development director Linda Martinez recommended that the funding be cut from the budget.

Nixon is facing a budget shortfall because of declining state revenue and he’s asked every state department to propose millions of dollars in cuts.

When the memo was made public, Kinder and others began a full-fledged public relations campaign to convince Nixon to keep the Tour of Missouri money in the budget. Nixon spokesman Jack Cardetti said the decision hasn’t been made yet.

On a conference call today during a tourism commission meeting, one of Martinez; deputies, Katie Steele Danner, told the commission that the governor’s office is seeking more information on the Tour of Missouri contracts before it approves the money.

“I am very interested in getting the information from you to help me make your case,” Danner said. Both she and her husband, Adjutant General Steve Danner of the Missouri National Guard, volunteered on the first race three years ago. “I’m just trying to get my arms around the structure of this,” Danner said.

Kinder and other commission members, including state Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon, said the race is too important to cancel.

EMAIL THE GOVERNOR NOW!!! Form available!!!

Tour of Missouri now has an email form that goes directly to the Governor's office!!!


http://www.tourofmissouri.com/savethetour.html

Thank you, guys!!! Let's fill some inboxes!!!

BREAKING NEWS: Commission votes to keep funds, decision now rests solely with Gov.

HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW: Tourism Commission has voted to keep the funding in, but now it's solely up to Gov. Jay Nixon.

We will update news stories as soon as we get more information!

Let's let the Governor hear us! 573-751-3222.

UPDATED: Missouri Tourism Commision is Meeting!

BREAKING NEWS!!

The Missouri Tourism Commission has just begun a meeting by conference call... we will send updates as we get them...

UPDATE: We are posting updates on out Twitter feed via reporters.

www.twitter.com/savethetour

Statement from State Senator Kevin Engler

State Senator Kevin Engler released this statement yesterday, and even gave us a shout out...

“I am extremely distraught after learning of Governor Nixon’s actions to put this year’s Tour of Missouri in jeopardy. This race is a smart investment during tough economic times. The state’s $1.5 million investment yields nearly $30 million in revenue.

“The cancellation of this race will result in the breach of numerous contracts, leave the state susceptible to millions of dollars in legal fees, and waste the effort and money already put forth by organizers, cities, private citizens, and the state.

“The decision to jeopardize the future of this race shows that the Governor is severely irresponsible. For more details on this issue, I urge everyone to visit http://www.savethetourofmissouri.com and to call 573-751-3222 and urge Jay Nixon to save the tour.”

-Sen. Kevin Engler

KMBZ Radio Interview

Leutant Governor Peter Kinder was on Kansas City radio station KMBZ this morning talking about the Tour of Missouri. Here is the link to the audio:

http://tinyurl.com/n2b3wa

Upload your Videos

Day 2: Upload your videos to www.tourofmissourifanzone.com

Upload your videos to www.tourofmissourifanzone.com telling why the race shouldn't be canceled! Then you can share them via facebook, twitter, send email links to others...

Let Gov. Nixon and the rest of the world know why you can't wait for the 2009 Tour of Missouri!

Call Gov. Nixon at 573-751-3222 and tell him to release the Tour of Missouri funding.