RESOLUTION NO. 100205

Expressing the City Council’s support of the annual Tour of Missouri Pro Cycling Race and requesting the Governor of Missouri to continue funding and support for this year’s event.

WHEREAS, the City of Kansas City, Missouri encourages the use of bicycles as a means of transportation for numerous reasons, including those related to health and the environment; and

WHEREAS, more than two million Missourians bicycle; and

WHEREAS, the Tour of Missouri has grown into a major Olympic-quality sporting event that brings national and international attention to Missouri and benefits Missouri's cities, towns, and rural areas alike; and

WHEREAS, the Tour of Missouri brings a sense of community and pride throughout the entire state, particularly to those cities, towns and rural areas visited during the event; and

WHEREAS, the 2009 Tour of Missouri provided a positive economic impact of over $38 million; and

WHEREAS, the Tour of Missouri serves a useful tourism promotion function, with international media coverage valued at more than $2.6 million and with more than half of the 500,000 spectators from outside of the state; and

WHEREAS, the 2010 Tour of Missouri will derive most of its support from private funding, provided it can leverage a small seed investment from the Missouri Division of Tourism; and

WHEREAS, the 2010 Tour has new leadership, a new business plan, and a more transparent, open, frugal and non-partisan way of operating that will bring even more benefits to Missouri citizens and taxpayers at a lower cost, and a business plan to realistically reduce state support of the event over the next three years; and

WHEREAS, lack of funding and coordination from the state of Missouri could lead to a loss of this important and beneficial event to other states; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the City Council expresses its support of the annual Tour of Missouri as a benefit to Missouri's tourism, health, economic and social development, international image, and community spirit and requests the Governor of Missouri to continue funding and support for this year’s event.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be immediately transmitted to the Governor of the State of Missouri and the Kansas City delegation to the Missouri General Assembly.

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