Missouri state lawmakers are considering incentives to lure amateur sports events such as NCAA Final Four basketball games, U.S. Olympic trials and youth soccer tournaments to the state.
The proposed sports incentives are part of the agenda for a special legislative session that starts Tuesday. One proposal before lawmakers could allow a refundable tax credit, with the program capped at $3 million per year.
Missouri has attracted amateur sporting events in the past. But supporters of the incentives say the state has fallen behind other states, such as Texas, which already offer incentives.
They contend the new incentives could help attract sporting events and the economic benefits that come with hosting the events.
Lawmakers will consider a proposal to create a China-trade hub at Lambert St Louis International Airport.
Senator Rob Schaaf (R), St Joseph, says he wouldn’t be surprised if the economic bill “died and went away,” but also said he wouldn’t be surprised if it passed. Schaaf said in an interview that some of the terms of the “aerotropolis” proposal need to be changed or dropped, including the size of the measure, the tax exemptions for tenants, and the 100-acre minimum requirement.
[audio:http://www.stjosephpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Sen-Rob-Schaaf-R-St-Joseph.mp3|titles=Sen Rob Schaaf R St Joseph]
National Democrats and Republicans a call to move Missouri’s presidential primary to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each Presidential election year. Governor Nixon vetoed a measure to do just that because it contained too many unrelated amendments.
For a copy of Governor Nixon’s original proclamation calling the special session, click here.
After calling the session, Nixon announced he is asking the General Assembly to repeal specific provisions of the teacher-student Facebook ban. Those provisions concerning teacher-student communications were included in Senate Bill 54, which was passed unanimously by both the House of Representatives and the Senate earlier this year.