Ballpark debate goes on without vote

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- After close to nine hours of debate, the Senate on Tuesday failed to reach a vote on a bill that would spend up to $644 million in state revenue over 30 years on sports stadiums and convention centers in four Missouri cities.

The centerpiece of the bill would earmark $7 million a year beginning in 2005 to pay off bonds to fund a $346 million, publicly owned ballpark for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Senate plans to resume work on the measure Thursday, while other Senate bills are to receive attention today. The bill's sponsor, Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, said he was prepared to spend the entire day on the bill -- and perhaps Friday as well -- if necessary to overcome opposition.

However, based on Tuesday's debate, Kinder, who wore a Cardinals pin on each lapel during the long and lively discussion, believes he has the necessary votes to pass the proposal.

"I'm actually heartened by the fact that opponents launched one attack after another and none of them succeeded," Kinder said.

Opponents questioned the wisdom of providing taxpayer support for sports facilities, particularly when the state is being forced to cut the budget for the coming fiscal year.

"We are looking at another commitment, another obligation that we can't afford," said state Sen. Sarah Steelman, R-Rolla.

During the debate, Kinder acknowledged that rural interests, including many of his own constituents, have been cool to the bill, which would also help fund new convention centers in Springfield and Branson and pay for renovation and upkeep at two existing professional sports stadiums in Kansas City. However, Kinder said the measure would provide statewide economic benefits, with Missouri gaining new revenue far in excess of its investment.

"Is 'one Missouri' and the unity we'd like to see any more than a slogan or can it be real?" Kinder said. "That is the vision in this bill."

St. Louis focus

But the debate focused almost entirely on the Cardinals ballpark, with the other components getting little attention.

Several proposed amendments aimed at killing, or at least weakening, the bill narrowly failed, including one that would have secured the state a share of the profits if the Cardinals' owners sold the team over the next 50 years.

That amendment, sponsored by state Sen. Wayne Goode, D-Normandy, would have mandated that at least 10 percent of the team's sale price go to the state if the team was sold.

Goode said the taxpayers are being asked to make a substantial and long-term investment that would increase the value of a private business and should expect a reasonable return in exchange. Goode questioned the supposed economic benefits of the deal claimed by proponents.

"The underlying foundation of the entire bill is faulty," Goode said. "You cannot build all of these things with public money, divert all future tax revenue and say it's going to be a great economic boon for the state of Missouri."

The bill does include a profit-sharing provision but would not set the amount as law. A project agreement between the state and the team says taxpayers would share in up to 15 percent of the proceeds if the team were sold by 2015. After that, the state would get nothing.

The willingness by Cardinals' officials to share any profits of a sale is unprecedented, Kinder said, and the toughest part of the agreement to reach.

"This amendment is sufficiently onerous and draconian to be a truly aimed torpedo to sink this ship with all on board," Kinder said.

The amendment was defeated 18-15.

Other changes rejected included those that would have:

Prevented any of the projects from being funded until state employees, who are facing a second straight year without a pay increase, receive a 5 percent raise.

Forced the Cardinals and Kansas City Royals to reimburse a share of taxpayer contributions for stadiums if Major League Baseball implements revenue sharing.

Added about $100,000 a year in tax revenue for upkeep of the St. Charles Family Arena, which plays host to a minor league hockey team and other sporting events.

Stripped $3 million a year for maintenance of the Savvis Center in St. Louis, home of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues.

Though revenue for the Savvis Center remains in the bill, the Blues' owners would be required to secure a National Basketball Association franchise for the city and renovate the adjoining Kiel Opera House in order to receive the subsidy.

Funding for all the projects included in the bill would come from new revenue generated by those facilities and wouldn't cost the state existing money.

The Cardinals have pledged $120 million in cash and land for the ballpark, which would replace Busch Memorial Stadium in downtown St. Louis. Taxpayers in the city and St. Louis County are also being asked to participate in the funding package.

In addition to the Cardinals ballpark and Savvis Center, the measure includes:

Up to $9.8 million a year for improvements at Kaufmann and Arrowhead stadiums in Kansas City and other local cultural facilities. The money would be contingent on the renewal of a bistate sales tax by Kansas City-area voters in both Missouri and Kansas.

As much as $32 million over 23 years for a convention center and arena in Branson.

No more than $18 million over several years for an exposition center in Springfield.

The bill would also establish a new fund that would disperse grants for economic development projects and infrastructure improvements to all Missouri cities, excluding the four getting specific funding under the measure. Kinder said the fund would provide about $250 million for areas of Missouri outside St. Louis and Kansas City.

The bill is SB 1279.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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