It's barely been a week since downtown Kansas City, from Crown Center to the Westside, was lined with cycling fans, ringing their cowbells and clambering on top of anything stable to get a good picture of the international athletes racing in the Tour of Missouri.
This summer, cyclists rightfully got their spandex in a bundle when Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon appeared poised to ax $1.5 million in state funding for Tour. A huge outcry from fans apparently persuaded Nixon that shortchanging the race -- to stick it to his Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who's been the tour's main booster -- wasn't the best idea.
So the show went on. But, even as the racers lined up, there was a sense that the event is living on borrowed time. Why? This was the final year of a three-year contract with the state of Missouri for title sponsorship of the event.
So, as the throng gathered at Crown Center for the start of the Kansas City stage on September 13, Kinder was there, pleading with spectators to write to the governor and express their support for the Tour. Yesterday, four Kansas City lawmakers did just that.
Read their letter after the jump.
Dear Gov Nixon:
Today, we respectfully offer to you our support for funding the 2010 Tour of Missouri.
With a complete realization of the continued recession that our state is facing, we believe that a 14-to-1 return on the state's $1.5 million commitment to the Tour of Missouri is a wise investment, especially during these difficult economic times.
The last two years, the Tour of Missouri brought in nearly $60 million in tourism dollars throughout the state. In 2007 and 2008 combined, an estimated 802,000 people saw the race. Another 22 million watched the event on television and viewers in 150 countries viewed live streaming coverage of the event via the Internet.
We will continue to work closely with you and our legislative colleagues in ensuring that we are making smart financial decisions for the families of Missouri. We believe that continuing to fund the Tour of Missouri is a wise investment for communities and tourism across our state.
Sincerely,
Sen. Victor Callahan
Rep. Paul LeVota
Rep. Jason Grill
Rep. Tom McDonald
Rep. Jamilah Nasheed
Rep. Chris Carter
Rep. Michele Kratky
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