Cape Girardeau a metropolis?

No one's predicting skyscrapers, traffic jams and smog, but the city is moving toward a coveted designation by the U.S. Census Bureau that could help bring more commercial development to the area.

A recent story in USA Today listed Cape Girardeau as one of 50 cities across the country approaching the 50,000 population mark necessary for the Census Bureau's Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Around the nation, about 50 cities are approaching the magic number, according to 1990 census figures.

So what does it matter if Cape Girardeau gets the MSA designation?

"It would be a huge difference," said John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

The city would qualify for federal block grants and economic development programs available only to MSAs, Mehner said.

"Plus you're a real city," he said. "You're a, quote, city."

The designation is especially important in terms of attracting business and industry, because many companies look only at listings of MSAs when deciding where to locate.

"Some companies only want to locate in communities that have a certain amount of people for various reasons," said Mitch Robinson, the county's industrial recruiter.

Labor force, educational opportunities and quality of life issues are all things companies consider when deciding where to put down roots, he said.

The MSA designation also carries a certain amount of prestige for communities when it comes to marketing, Robinson said.

"I think those things are very positive," he said. For example, magazines' lists of best places to live usually only look at MSAs, Robinson said.

Once Cape Girardeau reaches that number, "we could be ranked about such and such place on the list," he said.

With an estimated 1994 population of 35,936 and a projected population of 37,913 by the year 2000, Cape Girardeau won't reach the magic number by the turn-of-the-century census.

"Basically we'd have to grow about 15,000 people in the next three or four years," Mehner said. "Even growing, which we are again, we're not going to reach that."

But, he pointed out, Cape Girardeau already has achieved some of the perks usually reserved for larger cities: Red Lobster and Target, national chains usually located in MSAs, are already here.

And that's because Cape Girardeau isn't growing alone: Scott City and Jackson, both of which directly adjoin the city, are experiencing growth as well.

"What you have to understand about us is we're not in a city of 35,000 out in the middle of nowhere," he said. "If you put Jackson, Cape Girardeau, Scott City and the north Cape County area together, we're well over the 50,000 mark. That's why we can get a lot of the people to come look at Cape Girardeau. It's sold as the area. It's not sold as a city out in the middle of nowhere."

A metropolitan area doesn't just include the population within the city limits, explained Kent Bratton, Cape Girardeau's city planner.

"When you talk about St. Louis, you aren't just talking about the city of St. Louis," he said. "That wouldn't give you a real picture of what St. Louis is."

Instead, he said, St. Charles, St. Peters, Jefferson County and the Metro East counties are also included.

The same would be true for the Cape Girardeau area, he said.

Achieving the MSA designation doesn't mean skyscrapers will start springing up along Broadway, Bratton said.

"I don't see anything on the immediate horizon, like there's something magical that's going to happen the day after this occurs," he said.

Shirley Young, president of Scott City's Chamber of Commerce, said she doesn't mind being lumped in with Cape Girardeau's population.

"Growth means jobs. Jobs mean retaining people in the area. That's very important for the future of the area," she said. "We need to retain our residents so that when they graduate from high school they don't move out of the area."

Q. What is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)?

A. An MSA, as designated by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget, is a city of 50,000 or more.

Q. Why do cities strive for the MSA designation?

A. Money. Many large chain retailers, restaurants and industries only look at cities designated MSAs when trying to decide where to locate new sites. Also, some economic development grants may be available through the state and federal governments for MSAs that smaller communities don't qualify for.

Q. Is Cape Girardeau an MSA?

A. Technically, no. With a population of just under 36,000, according to the 1990 census, Cape Girardeau probably won't grow to 50,000 before the 2010 census. But when adjoining cities are counted in -- including Jackson and Scott City -- the Cape Girardeau area offers the population density and amenities that many businesses and industries are looking for.