Mixed Reports On Tour's Impact In Cape Girardeau, Plus More Questions About Official Estimates

Cape Girardeau was the site of the Tour of Missouri’s Stage 2 finish this year, where local reports are mixed about the economic activity brought in by the event.  In a new report from KFVS, Chuck Martin with the local Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that the race brought $314,000 into the city -- $52,000 in overnight lodging, and $262,000 on meals, shopping and gas. 

Cape Girardeau was host to one of seven stage finishes, where locals reported $52,000 in associated lodging. This local estimates represent just 0.42% of the total lodging spend estimated by Tour of Missouri, Inc., which put the total lodging spend by spectators at $12.3M for the week. By the same token, the local $314,000 estimate is just 0.82% of Tour of Missouri, Inc.’s estimate for overall spectator spending. One would expect larger crowds when the race went through Kansas City and St. Louis, but these very small percentages of the overall estimate suggest (to me, anyway) that the statewide numbers are overstated.

In addition, Martin said, race organizers had unrealistic expectation with regards to spectators, and KFVS reports that downtown businesses didn’t receive the influx of customers they were promised.

Mark Dirnberger who owns Bella Italia downtown, has a different spin on things.  He says when organizers blocked off roads for the race, they also blocked out potential customers.

"Because they shut down the streets at six in the morning and nobody could get in until after four o'clock. Basically by then the rush was gone," he said.

Dirnberger also says he brought in extra staff and prepared food ahead of time.

"We were told from the people who put on the event that there was going to be about 30,000 people downtown."

Instead he says he ended up with about ten customers.

"I'm in favor of the tour coming back. The way they handled the streets could be looked at a little different to help out the local businesses that kind of went out on a limb and got caught."