Tour of Missouri could be canceled
Tour of Missouri winner and Tour de France competitor Christian VandeVelde. Will he get a chance to defend his title? Photo by Kathleen Nelson
Just as the Tour de France is piquing interest in cycling around the world comes word that the Tour of Missouri could be canceled.
The race has been placed in jeopardy because $1.5 million in state funding has been frozen.
A memo dated July 6 from Linda Martinez, director of the department of economic development, outlined $9.9 million in budget cuts, including a proposal to cut the $1.5 million allocation for the Tour of Missouri from the state’s tourism budget.
“To receive word of this proposal is devastating,” said Chris Aronhalt of Medalist Sports, which coordinates the race with the tourism division. “We’re ready to go. We’re at the no-turning-back point.”
The race is scheduled to start Sept. 7 in St. Louis and finish in Kansas City on Sept. 13. Among the teams that have committed to the race are seven teams competing in the Tour de France, including Astana, the team for which Lance Armstrong rides. Armstrong is second in the Tour de France; his teammates are third, fourth and fifth.
If the Tour of Missouri is forced into cancellation this year, it will be the second of the three big U.S. stage races to be placed on hiatus. The Tour of Georgia was canceled this year with hopes to return next year with secured funding. Though the Tour of California is healthy and supported by a title sponsor, California’s budget woes may become an issue for next year’s edition. Considering cycling is both healthy exercise and good for the environment, it’s unfortunate the huge forum these races provide may be a victim of downturn budget cuts.
The Tour of Missouri generates revenue for the state of Missouri. It’s a money MAKER with all the extra visitors and spending. So we “save” $1.5M that costs us $5M. That’s idiotic.
If it makes money then private sponsorship shouldn’t be a problem …
That would be sad. I’ve used my vacation (and out of state money) to follow it the last two years.
According to some estimates, it was 500,000 visitors and $20MM plus in revenue activity. Besides, it’s great fun to watch. Even within the state I spend money in other cities as well as my own to watch the tour live. Why would you cut the budget for something that huge?
What is the Governor thinking the Tour of Missouri generated 800,000 spectators and over $60 million economic impact to the State of Missouri?
It’s a bummer when there’s not enough money to do everything you want to do. It’s tough deciding what you must cut out of your budget whether that budget is the state’s or your personal budget. Whether it brings money back into the state or not is not the issue. We must stop spending money we don’t have. That’s fiscal responsibility. It’s not easy and it’s not fun. It’s not fair to give an organization such short notice but tough times call for tough measures–no matter how much it stinks.
1gkek - your comment does not make sense. The Tour of Missouri is an overall moneymaker and boon to the State of Missouri. In other words, it may not be beneficial from an advertising standpoint for a private company to spend their dollars sponsoring the event, but it is extremely beneficial to, and in the financial interests of, the State of Missouri for this event to take place regardless of who funds it.
It would be a terrible loss to the State to let this event fail.
I think you mean “piquing interest” not “peaking interest.”
The Tour de Missouri is Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder’s baby, so he should come up with private fund-raising to keep it going and then take all the credit. The only new element to this idea is coming up with the private fund-raising, since Kinder already takes all the credit, traveling statewide on the public dime and posing for pictures with men in tights. I’m waiting for Kinder’s fiscally un-conservative tantrum now.