ST. LOUIS — A Missouri state senator has said St. Louis could lose the Missouri Valley Conference basketball tournament and other major events unless lawmakers approve legislation allowing the State to help fund Scottrade Center renovations.

The Scottrade Center is where the NHL Blues play.

State Sen. Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) has tabled legislation authorizing state funding for land clearing projects “related to tourism infrastructure.”

The measure comes at a time when Missouri is facing a tight state budget, with departments facing possible budget cuts.

The Schatz bill would authorize up to $6 million in public funding per year to pay for renovations to the Scottrade Center, which was built in 1994. Schatz testifies that St. Louis will lose bids on several upcoming events, if improvements are not made.

“NCAA Men’s Final Four Frozen Four, NCAA Division I Wrestling, NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championships, World Junior Hockey 2022,” says Schatz.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and other supporters of the Scottrade Center improvements say the plumbing and mechanical systems at the 23-year-old facility are failing.

Slay says Missourinet supporters are asking the state for about $65 million to help fund the improvements.

Schatz testifies that the Scottrade Center generates significant revenue for the state.

“Nearly $170 million in annual direct spend per 1.2 million visitors,” says Schatz. “Average $11 million in direct state tax revenue. Over 2,000 employees with a payroll of over $26 million. This excludes players and artists.

Schatz also says the Scottrade Center/Peabody Opera House is responsible for filling 55,000 hotel rooms in the area each year.

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) said visitors to the Scottrade Center and Peabody Opera House put more than 85,000 people to work in bars, hotels, restaurants and other venues. the region.

The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reports that the St. Louis Board of Aldermen has approved the issuance of $64 million in bonds and that the Blues ownership group plans to invest $50 million over the next few months. next 20 to 30 years.

Blues CEO Chris Zimmerman testifies that the building’s plumbing and electrical are failing and that the piping throughout the facility is “deteriorating”.

Zimmerman, who supports the Schatz bill, testified before the Senate Economic Development Committee on Tuesday.

“And whether it’s our plumbing systems, our mechanical systems, our electrical systems, we’re a building that’s now 23 out of 24 years old,” Zimmerman testifies. “We’ve had over 32 million guests.”

Zimmerman provided senators with a package stating that Scottrade’s hot water pumps “are at end of life,” and that water heaters throughout the building are 1994 stock “and do not have sufficient capacity when great events”.

The package also states that the Scottrade Center building’s lighting controls “work from Windows 95” and that the building still has its original 1994 backup power generator.

Zimmerman testifies that this project aims to create jobs and keep Saint-Louis “vibrant”.

He tells senators that Scottrade’s renovations will produce about 2,200 construction jobs on site.

Missouri state senators also learned Tuesday that St. Louis is hoping to clinch the NHL All-Star Game. Longtime St. Louis Athletic Commission board member Jack Stapleton made the announcement during his testimony before the committee.

“Other events that we are currently bidding or planning to bid on, in addition to NCAA wrestling, include the NHL All-Star Game,” Stapleton said. “After the Winter Classic (January), we received a great favorable review from the NHL and the commissioner (Gary Bettman). We have high hopes for this.

But Stapleton testifies that the Scottrade Center needs major renovations. He also supports the Schatz bill.

The committee did not vote on Tuesday, and a vote is not expected until senators return from legislative recess.

(Brian Hauswirth for Missourinet)