urbanSTL

I guess we'll just have to wait and see now won't we



Maybe the cargo hub and NorthSide project aren't contingent on one another, however I'm willing to bet the farm that there are aspects in the comprehensive NorthSide plan that are taking the 'Big Idea' into consideration. I just believe they are very much related.

I wonder what kind of affect will Nixon's freeze of the $12 Million of state funds will have on this project.

more"in the news"



St. Louis strives to create an air freight hub to China

By RANDOLPH HEASTER

The Kansas City Star



St. Louis strives to create an air freight hub to China. In the city dubbed the “Gateway to the West,” St. Louis movers and shakers are hoping their city will be known as the “Gateway to the Far East” in the 21st century.



READ ENTIRE ARTICLE:



http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1297250.html

Anything new?

All I know is that the Governor of Missouri is dragging his feet on this and hasn't "signed" off on something and I am not sure why.



Full Article:

http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/ ... %5E1931321



From the article:

Looming Battles

The governor has yet to sign off on funding for the proposed Midwest China Hub, to be located near Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The request, for $2 million to pay for operational expenses and $10 million for capital expenses, is sitting on the governor’s desk and has not yet been approved. The hub’s backers — including Slay and Dooley — have said it could stimulate economic opportunities between Missouri and China and create jobs for the entire region, with a ripple effect felt throughout the state.



Slay is taking it on himself to lobby for the city’s efforts with legislators statewide. Earlier this month, Slay took a tour to cities throughout the state to meet with local legislators to talk about shared interests.



The city of St. Louis and St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson counties combined represent more than 35 percent of the state’s economy, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, part of the Department of Economic Development. Slay said his tour was intended in part to drive home the economic impact of St. Louis on the rest of the state.



“Historically, it’s been difficult to communicate to state legislators the importance of St. Louis to the overall economy of the state,” Slay said. “Under these tough economic times that we’re in, it’s harder to get the things that you want for your constituency. From my standpoint, I always want more than what we get.”

Some days I'd love to see St. Louis say screw it, and join Illinois. Might be interesting.

We will know within 8 months if St. Louis will become a trade hub for China.





http://www.slcec.com/08-18-09-commissio ... -deal.html

Doug wrote:We need these warehouses to house rubber dog sh*t coming out of Hong Kong.

^Nahh...everyone knows that Indonesian rubber dog poop is the highest quality. If we're gonna do this, let's do it correctly.

matguy70 wrote:All I know is that the Governor of Missouri is dragging his feet on this...

Is it just me, or does Governor Nixon do that a lot?



He comes from DeSoto, a place that would look even more like the Third World if it wasn't located about 40 minutes south of St. Louis. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder is a staunch advocate for St. Louis and realizes the impact the state's largest metropolitan area has on Missouri's economic output.



And I never thought I'd say I'd miss Matt Blunt, but, uh, never mind, I really don't miss Blunt. But I expected more from Nixon.

Remember when the people voted against big trucks. But the Missouri legislature knew better and overrode the popular vote. (A common theme in Missouri - reference concealed guns.)



If the Chinese agree to bring their goods here by truck, they'll get so much Missouri government support, they's think Mao died and move to Missouri.



But seriously, the Governor needs to start thinking long term investment for all of Missouri. Since St. Louis generates 40% of the Missouri state revenue, they need to fund the St. Louis / China air cargo hub just to keep their own Jeff City revenue stream intact.

ThreeOneFour wrote:

matguy70 wrote:All I know is that the Governor of Missouri is dragging his feet on this...

Is it just me, or does Governor Nixon do that a lot?

It's not just you.



I voted for Nixon, but am not a fan of the job he's been doing thus far.

Never trust anyone that goes out of his way to say Missourah

Here is Nixon's chance after AA's final blow to show me something. He can announce that he is releasing the $10 million dollars and then some for a China Air Cargo facility that was put into this years state budget.

To grasp the extent of trade between China and Missouri, Saint Louis University’s Boeing Institute of International Business is researching the topic with some interesting results.



Thanks to a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Institute has been compiling data on Chinese exports, imports and foreign companies that invest in Missouri firms. Until the Institute launched its data drive, such information wasn’t available in depth, explains Dr. Seung H. Kim, director of the Institute.



“We have actually gathered trends for the last five to seven years,” he says. The data will be helpful as Missouri tries to attract a Chinese air freight hub to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.



Kim says exports to China from Missouri have been increasing for the last decade and reached $12.5 billion annually. The majority of those are agricultural and health care/biotechnology products.



Chinese trade accounts for 90,000 jobs statewide and business for 4,000 exporters, Kim says.



Most recently, the Institute, in partnership with the RCGA and the World Trade Center, has been studying direct foreign investment in Missouri companies. So far, Kim calculates that there are 600 direct foreign investors in Missouri firms. The Institute is creating profiles of those firms just as it has of the Chinese importers and exporters it has been studying.



Kim estimates that direct foreign investment in Missouri companies equals $2 billion and has been rising over the last five years. Europe leads the pack, but China, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America are also investors.



To capitalize on that investment, more and more SLU students are studying Chinese and spending anywhere from two weeks to a year in China to augment their studies. About 600 Chinese students will come to SLU this year—an increase from 400 last year.



The University began offering basic Chinese language courses three years ago with 12 students. Now SLU offers three sections of basic Chinese and has had to turn away American students. They recognize the demand from U.S. companies for students who speak Chinese and understand the culture.



“I never thought American students would want to learn Chinese,” Kim says. “I am very pleased that young people are more open-minded these days.”





The hub, which has been discussed between area business and government, and Chinese leaders for more than a year, will enable China to import goods through Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, and other regional infrastructure facilities. Multi-state Midwestern goods would then fill the return flights to China to boost the region’s exports, generate regional jobs and investment, and help diminish the international trade imbalance. Former RCGA Board Chairman and Chairman, President & CEO of The Laclede Group Doug Yaeger underscored the opportunity for the region, “Interest in transaction and asset based investment by Chinese investors and businesses is growing dramatically, and that means real opportunity for the St. Louis region—by establishing a major economic hub to engage Chinese and Midwest businesses.”



The RCGA has been leading the charge in forging interest in China for the project and the negotiations to establish a hub. More people are joining that effort as it gains momentum. Earlier this year, state and regional public and private leaders, including the RCGA, jointly established the Midwest/China Hub Commission to further advance this effort. Yaeger, himself a member of the Commission, notes, “For our region to be successful in any major economic development endeavor, many organizations, institutions and governmental entities must come together around a common goal, I am pleased that this has happened concerning the China Hub initiative. RCGA should be recognized as one of the founding members of the Midwest/China Hub Commission and an active participant in its ongoing functions.”





http://www.stlcommercemagazine.com/arch ... tives.html

Gary Kreie wrote:But seriously, the Governor needs to start thinking long term investment for all of Missouri. Since St. Louis generates 40% of the Missouri state revenue, they need to fund the St. Louis / China air cargo hub just to keep their own Jeff City revenue stream intact.

Could someone provide a source for the exact revenue generated by STL and KC in the state of Missouri? I've tried to tell people something like the above quote for years, but my percentage swings wildly from 30% to sometimes 80%. I know, I'm not above exagerration to get my point across. Anyhoo, if someone could post a link to the proper State of Missouri budget documents I would be very thankful!



I also lament voting for Nixon, as he has not been as city-friendly as I'd hoped (not that there was much of a choice). I don't understand how the populations of Metro KC and Metro St Louis (and lets throw Columbia in there for kicks and giggles) can't swing an election (or at least the primaries) in favor of a more pro-city candidate. My guess would be that suburban voters in both major regions think they have more in common with small town voters and that big city issues don't affect them? I certainly don't see it that way, but I do see myself voting in the next elections not on any sort of party platform, but in terms of "city minded" versus "rural minded" canidates. And hearing "Missourah" in most of their speeches will help me make that decision a lot easier

I believe MO state representative districts are not based on population alone or not changed according to population shifts/changes. Thus, you can elect a Democratic Gov by populus vote and the state representative can have a conservative rural majority for state representatives.



Kinda like each state getting two US Senators in Congress. Otherwise, MO would be a lowly one US Senator state as much of the midsection would be. Some trade offs are not necessarily bad. Unfortunately, it takes really good leadership to convince rural representatives that economic gain in the metro area, STL and KC, supports the entire state as a whole.

I knew Bum Frickin rural Nixon would find a way to screw this up some!



Nixon, local leaders squaring off over funding for China Hub project

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/busine ... enDocument

I guess some other state will capitalize on it. Missouri really needs to decide whether its gonna be a first class economic state or rural backwater.

Republicans for mass transit, Democrats against any progress for an urban area whatsoever - Missouri really is a backwards state.

matguy70 wrote:I knew Bum Frickin rural Nixon would find a way to screw this up some!



Nixon, local leaders squaring off over funding for China Hub project

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/busine ... enDocument

I wouldn't be surprised we lose this China hub to another city with this backwards mentality. I don't think Nixon sees the economic opportunity this can bring to this state. It will cost some to promote and invest in it, but the economic returns and growth would outweigh the money spent bringing it here. I guess these lame MO politicians are too split in whats best for the state.



I voted for Kenny Hulshof, not this loser named Jay Nixon. I remember Kenny was really motivated to understand the interests of the local Chinese community. He wanted to get this China hub to STL, use the underutilized Lambert Airport and the Northpark business park to sell to the Chinese. I met Kenny several times during is governor run and he would spend hours talking to us about issues. Nixon, on the other hand, never really cared for the Chinese community, nor about our interests.



Sorry for getting off topic there.