CAPE AIRPORT BOARD SEEKS RESTAURANT INFORMATION

Cape Girardeau's Airport Advisory Board wants more information before going to the City Council with a recommendation on restaurant operations.

Board members agreed Tuesday night to try to put together cost figures on setting up a grill area in the dining room as opposed to using the existing, separate kitchen.

Board members say they want to give as much information as possible to the council when they make their final recommendation on re-opening the restaurant at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

Pete Poe of the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau met with board members at their request to give them some advice on restaurant operations.

Poe suggested changing the existing configuration of the restaurant, including moving the kitchen into the existing dining area to make operations more efficient.

The existing dining area is also "way too big" for a small restaurant operation, he said. Poe suggested partitioning off the existing space to create a smaller dining area and a separate meeting or office room.

J. Fred Waltz, chairman of the advisory board, said he worried that setting up a new grill area or moving existing equipment might make the initial investment too expensive, but he and the board agreed cost estimates were necessary.

Waltz said the key issue will be finding the right manager, even though the existing design is "not ideal."

"I don't see facilities being as big a problem as trying to find the right person to run it," he said.

Board members have already agreed that they think the city should hire a full-time working manager who would work for a base salary plus incentives or bonuses and at least initially keep the restaurant open seven days a week but only for breakfast and lunch.

Poe said breakfast and lunch are "highly profitable" meals, but they won't generate much volume.

"But on the flip side, your expenses are not all that great," he said.

On average, patrons will spend $4 to $6 for lunch, as opposed to $12 to $20 for dinner, Poe said.

He agreed with board members that there probably would not be enough traffic to justify serving dinner.

Salary for a working manager -- someone who would wait tables, seat customers and cook, if necessary -- would probably range from $25,000 to $40,000, including fringe benefits, Poe said.

In addition, the restaurant might need about a dozen part-time employees.

Mayor Al Spradling III suggested in May that the city consider operating the restaurant, which has been vacant for several months.

The airport has not been able to attract an independent restaurant operation, but board members feel a restaurant is critical to attracting more traffic.