Center city gears up for Tour of Missouri

Springfield stands to benefit from publicity surrounding the race as well as dollars spent locally while the 120 racers and their teams are in town.

The race – a professional competition sanctioned by the International Cycling Union –begins Sept. 11 in Kansas City and ends six days later in St. Louis. The second stage begins at 11 a.m. Sept. 12 in historic downtown Clinton and follows country roads through Stockton and Willard before reaching Springfield.

Racers will enter town on West Division Street, jog over to Commercial Street and then head toward downtown on Jefferson Avenue, said Louise Whall, public information director for the city of Springfield. The leg will conclude after two circuits through center city, where spectators are invited to gather for a firsthand look at the racers as they head toward the finish line at Kimbrough Avenue and East Trafficway.

“There’s never been another opportunity to see this kind of world-class cycling in Springfield,” Whall said.

The Springfield route has been “months in the making,” Whall said, noting that some city streets will be temporarily closed for the race. Residents and businesses along the route should receive a detailed letter from the city some time the week of Sept. 3, she said.

Rusty Worley, executive director of the Urban Districts Alliance, said he has talked with several center city businesses about the Tour of Missouri and related street closures.

Willow Brook Foods is one business that plans to embrace the race. Human Resources Director Karl Amelang said he expects available employees to step outside to watch the cyclists, but he doesn’t think the race will significantly disrupt business.

”We don’t have an enormous amount of traffic coming through,” he said. “We might have to delay a truck or two … but we think we can work around that pretty easily.”

Several local events have been scheduled in conjunction with the Tour of Missouri, including a health and wellness expo in Jordan Valley Park. The event will include vendors, bicycle stunt teams and a large movie screen with live coverage of the race. Homegrown band Big Smith will perform on the park’s fountain stage at about 5 p.m., Whall said.

Local race organizers are still seeking volunteers who will be stationed along the course and in the hospitality area. About 200 people have signed up so far, but another 150 to 200 are still needed, Whall said. Interested individuals and organizations should contact Bob Belote at (417) 864-1327 or Barb Baker at (417) 831-6200.

Other Springfield-based businesses sponsoring the tour’s second stage include CoxHealth, Bass Pro Shops, the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center, Hawthorn Park Hotel, Lamplighter Inn and Suites and Hogan Land Title Co.

Tracy Kimberlin, executive director of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the sponsors were instrumental in bringing the Tour of Missouri to Springfield. Businesses put up a combined $50,000 in cash and made numerous in-kind donations, he said.

Racers, a group that includes Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of Spain and Fair Grove native Brad Huff, will travel to Branson the night of Sept. 12 for individual time trials the morning of Sept. 13. The group will then return to Springfield for an overnight stay.

An advance crew of 67 people has booked 41 rooms at the Oasis for the night of Sept 11, and 520 people associated with the race have booked 312 rooms at the Oasis, Hawthorn Park and Lamplighter Inn North for the night of Sept. 13, said Bobbi Box, sports sales manager with the CVB.

Related News: UDA Executive Director Rusty Worley says the Tour of Missouri will benefit downtown. Click here to read.