Cape Girardeau City Council moves forward with privately funded tourism study

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Cape Girardeau city leaders are moving forward with a comprehensive tourism study after rejecting a proposal to put a restaurant tax measure before voters.

During a special meeting Monday, Nov. 9, the City Council voted 5-2 to support a proposal from three hospitality groups offering to pay for an independent study of the city’s tourism industry and future development opportunities.

The study, estimated to cost $100,000, would be conducted by c and funded by MidAmerica Hotels, Drury Southwest and Heritage Hospitality Management.

The consulting firm would evaluate existing tourism attractions, identify opportunities for expansion and examine the potential economic impact of future projects. The study would also compare Cape Girardeau with similar cities and review VisitCape’s operations, funding and marketing.

The decision comes after the city’s Parks and Recreation Department proposed making an existing 1-cent restaurant tax permanent and adding another 1-cent tax for 20 years.

That proposal would help fund approximately $44 million in sports facility improvements, including expanding the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex, adding outdoor soccer fields and upgrading Capaha Field. It also called for allocating $1 million annually to Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

The department had sought an April 2027 ballot measure, but the council voted 4-3 against advancing the proposal.

Mayor Robbie Guard and council members DeWayne Schaaf, Nate Thomas, David Cantrell and Bryan Johnson supported moving forward with the tourism study. Council members Mark Bliss and Tameka Randle opposed it.

A proposed tourism strategy task force would oversee the study and include city officials, hospitality representatives and community stakeholders.

The task force is expected to finalize the study’s scope within two weeks and provide monthly updates to the council.

Once the study is complete, its findings will be presented during a public council work session.

City leaders could then consider a potential ballot measure in August 2027.

The existing 1-cent restaurant tax is tied to bonds used to construct the SportsPlex. Those bonds are expected to be paid off by 2030, when the tax is scheduled to expire.