Lack of state funding leaves Tour of Missouri canceled

JEFFERSON CITY — Organizers of the Tour of Missouri have canceled this year's bicycle race after state tourism officials declined to help with funding.

Tour of Missouri Chairman Mike Weiss said Thursday that organizers pulled the plug on the race after Gov. Jay Nixon's administration refused to support it.

Earlier Thursday, a budget committee for the Missouri Tourism Commission endorsed a $13.4 million spending plan that included no state money for the race. State lawmakers had indicated a preference to allot the race $1 million.

Nixon spokeswoman Christine Bertelson said the final funding decision belonged to the tourism commission. She said there were many worthwhile things the state could not afford right now.

Organizers of the race had said previously that it would likely be canceled if the state did not subsidize it.