Pacific tourism commission votes to pursue Route 66 Centennial sponsorship, advances barbecue festival plans

The Pacific Tourism Commission voted to ask the Board of Aldermen to allow staff to apply for a Missouri Route 66 Centennial sponsorship that could contribute up to $15,000 toward a proposed multi-day barbecue festival and a Route 66 photo-op installation.

Commission member Max introduced the idea of a sanctioned barbecue competition at Liberty Fields, saying it would draw vendors and competitors from a wide area and could qualify winners for national competition: "He thinks it would be a great place to do that," Max said of the judge who scouted the site. The commission discussed a tentative festival weekend of May 30–June 1, with the sanctioned competition concluding on Saturday and Sunday reserved for vendors.

Tourism Director O'Malley outlined the Centennial opportunity: the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission has a $250,000 sponsorship pool for events tied to Route 66, and the program operates on a reimbursement basis rather than a matching grant. "They have $250,000 to give for events that are around Route 66," O'Malley said, adding that the program could reimburse prize money and entertainment costs but that final awards and allowable expenses would depend on the Centennial program's guidelines.

Members pressed for operational details before committing, asking about on-site water, sanitation and health-department vendor inspections; O'Malley said there is a water source near the arena and that the health department would inspect vendors and enforce sanitation requirements. Commissioners also discussed vendor fees and alcohol sales arrangements, noting that vendors' revenue management and liability will be the city's responsibility.

The commission debated sanctioning partners; one member cautioned against organizers with a history of taking a disproportionate share of proceeds, urging staff to vet associations carefully. The commission agreed it should proceed only with vetted sanctioning bodies and clear contractual terms.

On the Route 66 photo-op proposal, O'Malley presented several design options and a cost estimate for a larger model of about $19,000 including shipping. She said the Centennial sponsorship could cover as much as $15,000 and that the city would likely pay remaining costs and a concrete pad (estimated $1,000–$2,000). "We could put Pacific Missouri on there," O'Malley said, noting the installation must be on public property.

After discussion, the commission voted to move forward: members approved a motion to request that the Board of Aldermen allow the tourism staff to apply for the Centennial sponsorship and later approved a formal motion asking Alderman Kelly to present the application to the board and permit staff to submit it. The motions passed with recorded 'ayes' and no recorded opposition.

Next steps include staff preparing the Centennial application, identifying and vetting potential sanctioning partners and finalizing event logistics for vendor oversight, sanitation and site preparation. The commission also discussed narrowing photo-op designs to a short list and possibly using a public poll to select the final option.

The commission will present formal requests to the Board of Aldermen as required; no final awards or contracts were approved at the meeting.