After expressing apprehension over the Tour of Missouri’s cost, route and the amount of volunteer manpower that will be needed, Tuesday night the Hannibal City Council gave its blessing to local efforts to bring the professional cycling race to Hannibal next September.
Mayor Pro Tem Kyle Wilson said he did not want the local application to represent a “blank check” to race organizers on the state level.
Beau Hicks, executive director of the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau and a member of the committee interested in having Hannibal be a host city for the 2009 Tour, explained that he will spell out in the proposal that if the city cannot reach an agreement with organizers regarding the race route, for example, the city will have the right to “walk away.”
Police Chief Lyndell Davis was asked about the manpower his department will have to provide to help host the event. He said it is hard to estimate because so many details are unknown such as the route, the level of crowd control that will be needed, whether alcohol will be sold, the time of day and day of the week that the race will occur.
“With National Tom Sawyer Days we know what we’re up against,” said Davis. “This is a big unknown.”
One thing that is known is at least $20,000 will have to be raised locally to cover race expenses if Hannibal is a “start” site for one of the stages. Hicks explained that the cost would be considerably higher if Hannibal were an overnight destination for the race.
“I feel we can raise the money,” said Hicks, who reported that the HCVB Board has pledged $1,000 to the fund. He added that letters of support have also been received from the Hannibal Clinic and Hannibal Regional Hospital, although neither specified a financial commitment.
City Manager Jeff LaGarce told the council that the city faces expenses of approximately $7,600 for an assortment of public service requirements associated with the race. Of that total, $4,600 will be overtime costs.
“That’s a small price to pay to bring in these people,” said Councilman Jason Janes, referring to the thousands of spectators that have flooded into other communities where the Tour has visited. Hicks told the council that Hermann estimated 5,000 visitors were in town for this year’s race while St. Charles saw approximately 10,000.
Mayor Roy Hark asked if local organizers would be able to raise the approximately 120 volunteers necessary to host the event.
“It’s a big undertaking,” said Hark.
The application deadline is Friday, Dec. 5. It is estimated that communities will be selected in late December. Early next year race coordinators will begin meeting with the local race committee and city officials to begin mapping out the course and other details.
