Prison tours turn $82,000 profit to be reinvested in MSP

In this News Tribune file photo, a group from southern Missouri and northern Arkansas was the first to tour A-Hall in April 2014 after health and safety issues at the former Missouri State Penitentiary forced an early end to the previous years tour season. After much work during the closure to remove mold and large paint chips and a sealant applied to the structures, tours continued at the historic site in Jefferson City.

Tours at the old Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) are continuing to grow and, despite a shortened season and fewer tour offerings, 2014 turned out to have the highest attendance yet.

The Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced Thursday that the 2014 tour season at MSP saw 22,605 visitors, more than any other year the tours have been offered.

We were very amazed with that considering the abbreviated season, said Diane Gillespie, executive director of the CVB. Its amazing that we were able to hit those numbers.

The 2014 tour season had a late start due to mold remediation and repair work. Tours were temporarily suspended at the end of September 2013, and the remainder of the 2013 tour season was eventually cancelled because of mold found at the site. After the city and state agreed to split the cost of remediation and repair, limited tours began to be offered in April 2014, more than one month behind the regular start of the season. The full tour offerings did not resume until July.

Gillespie said the 2014 tour season brought in approximately $383,000 in revenue, an increase from previous years. After expenses, Gillespie said, the net profit for the year was $82,000, which will be reinvested into MSP as outlined in the CVBs lease agreement with the state.

But how that money will be reinvested has yet to be decided. Gillespie said the CVB board has approved the creation of an MSP advisory committee that will recommend how to use tour profits. She said the members of the committee are: John Landwehr, Mark Schreiber, Frank Burkhead, Andy Neidert, Denise Kinard-Smith, Randy Allen and Rick Mihalevich.

We want them to start thinking about what do we use this profit for, Gillespie said. What can we do to preserve the facility and to be able to continue offering this story to people who are interested in the MSP project?

She said some of the money may be put into further marketing of the prison or saved for larger projects. For example, she said, in Housing Unit 3 one column has stonework in need of replacement, but there might be a crack on the inside that could make it a costly project. Once the committee has a project in mind, it will go to the CVB board and the Jefferson City Council for approval.

Moving forward, Gillespie said, the CVB is increasing its marketing and bookings thanks to the 15-year contract that came out of the city and state agreement to cost-share the mold remediation. Previously, the CVB operated on 11-month contracts.

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Prison tours turn $82,000 profit to be reinvested in MSP