Professional Cycling For the Fans - Tour of Missouri...Political Games Afoot Again

Letter from MO BikeFed director:


Friday we held a news conference to announce that the legislature had given
final approval to a $1 million appropriation for the Tour of Missouri and
the Chairs of the two top budget committees had written a letter supporting
funding for the Tour of Missouri.

Despite all that, Governor Nixon's office and the Division of Tourism are
still holding firm--NO FUNDING for the Tour of Missouri, they say.

Even worse, the Governor's office is flat-out refusing to even meet with
Mike Weiss or me (Chair & Vice-Chair of the Tour of Missouri).

The only thing that can turn the tide is the same thing that turned it last
August when they said the same thing--if YOU, the citizens and voters,
speak up:

Division of Tourism: phone 573-751-4133 - fax 573-751-5160 -
tourism@ded.mo.gov
Gov Nixon's office: (573) 751-3222 or http://governor.mo.gov/contact/

**EVEN IF YOU HAVE CALLED/EMAILED BEFORE, PLEASE CALL AGAIN NOW** This is
the crucial moment.

Suggested message: Please support the Tour of Missouri and approve the
funding for the Tour that has already been appropriated by the Missouri
General Assembly.

Please, please be polite and persuasive when you call! The person you will
be talking to is a low-level employee who is often personally very
supportive of our goals. But let them know you support the Tour and oppose
eliminating its funding.


MORE DETAILS
* Legislative language with specific appropriation for this year's Tour of
Missouri:

http://mobikefed.org/content/specific-appropriation-tour-missouri-language-appropriations-bill-markup

* Letter of support for the Tour of Missouri from Chairs of House & Senate
Budget Committees:

http://mobikefed.org/content/senate-appropriations-chair-house-budget-chair-release-letter-support-tour-missouri-funding

* The Missouri House spent an evening debating the Tour and defeated give
amendments to reduce or eliminate its funding on bipartisan votes:


http://mobikefed.org/content/how-tour-missouri-passed-missouri-general-assembly-bipartisan-support-and-how-bicycling-came

Post Dispatch story:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/C04F2CCFAA4D04728625771B000D734E?OpenDocument

MissouriNet--the Governor's office shows his position on the issue:

http://www.missourinet.com/2010/05/10/tour-of-missouri-is-it-going-to-happen/

"Don’t let Tour of Missouri ride off into the sunset" from the KCStar:


http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/09/1934913/dont-let-tour-of-missouri-ride.html


THE LARGER ISSUE FOR BICYCLISTS IN MISSOURI
Aside from the Tour itself, the question is: Do the Governor and Division
of Tourism take bicyclists and bicycling seriously in Missouri?

As of right now the answer seems to be "No."

There are two million of us bicyclists in Missouri, we pay taxes and we
vote, and we need to let them know that they need to take us seriously--or
they steamroller over us not only on this issue but every other involving
bicycling, walking, livability, safe routes to school, and other the health
health, environmental, and livability issues we work for.

--Brent
director@mobikefed.org

------------------------------------------------------------

The Missouri Bicycle Federation is a coalition of bicycling, walking,
running, and trails organizations and businesses representing over 25,000
Missourians and speaking for the 2 million Missourians who bicycle
regularly and the 5.8 million who walk.

Join the movement!

http://mobikefed.org/join

It will probably go the same way as the Tour de Georgia.

It's a shame really. I thought that it was a fine addition to the race calendar.

Although... To quote...




Tour of Missouri boosters push for state support

Associated Press - May 7, 2010 12:24 PM ET

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Tour of Missouri supporters still hope to convince Gov. Jay Nixon and the state Tourism Commission to provide $1 million for the 2010 race.

Race organizers said Friday they hope that public pressure will help change the state's mind. That was the case in 2009, when Nixon dropped his opposition to the race's $1.5 million tourism allocation.

Full:http://www.koamtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12446059

05.07.2010 9:00 am
Medalist relaxes deadline from withdrawing from Tour of Missouri

The management company that runs the Tour of Missouri decided to soften its deadline for withdrawing from the race after grass roots organizers asked for a chance to plead their case directly to lawmakers in Jefferson City.

Cycling enthusiasts have organized a rally for noon May 15 at the foot of the Capitol.

http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzon...r-of-missouri/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_Georgia


Good news for Tour de Georgia at least...


The event was cancelled in 2009 and 2010; however its backers are aiming for the race to be held again in 2011.

I look at it this way. If all the overly rosy predictions of how much money these races bring in were true they wouldn't be debating this. If money is tight I can see why they'd want to cut spending here. The average voter probably doesn't care.

I look at it this way. If all the overly rosy predictions of how much money these races bring in were true they wouldn't be debating this. If money is tight I can see why they'd want to cut spending here. The average voter probably doesn't care.

What predictions? The impact is real. 2009 Tour Impact Study (http://www.tourofmissouri.com/2009-tour-of-missouri-economic-impact-study-presented.html)

2009: $38.1M
2008: $29.8M
2007: $26.2M

But you are right the average voter does not care about the ToMO