Dexter mayoral aide and local officials urge committee to name Dexter 'Rib City of Missouri'
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Sponsor Rep. Steve Jordan and City of Dexter witnesses urged the Special Committee on Tourism to designate Dexter as the 'Rib City of Missouri' to boost rural tourism; questions focused on coordination with Kansas City and the Missouri Division of Tourism and on economic projections.
JEFFERSON CITY — At a public hearing Thursday, Representative Steve Jordan presented House Bill 16 51, a proposal to designate Dexter, Missouri, as the "Rib City of Missouri," arguing the recognition would help market his rural district and boost tourism.
"I'm here today to present HB 16 51, which designates Dexter, Missouri as the Rib City of Missouri," Jordan said, citing longstanding local establishments including Hickory Log, Dexter Barbecue and Dexter Queen. Jordan said the town's barbecue tradition and an associated basketball tournament — the Rib City Classic — are part of Dexter's identity.
David Wyman, the City Administrator for Dexter, and Lauren Hill, the city's tourism specialist, testified in support. Wyman described Dexter's barbecue history and said formalizing the identity could help the Bootheel town market itself. "We would like to be able to market our town, celebrate our town, and potentially increase tourism in our town," Wyman said, noting he has served as a KCBS-certified barbecue judge and that the community has hosted long-running local barbecue establishments.
Committee members questioned whether the designation had been coordinated with larger tourism stakeholders. Representative Allen asked whether Kansas City representatives or the Missouri Division of Tourism had been consulted and warned that Kansas City's barbecue industry "generates hundreds of millions" in tourism revenue and supports "thousands of restaurant jobs," arguing the state should avoid diluting the Kansas City brand for barbecue.
Jordan acknowledged there had been no coordination with Kansas City or formal marketing plans and that Dexter had not provided economic impact projections. Several committee members defended the proposal as a small-town tourism booster, with Representative Durnell saying the designation "gives a tip of the cap" to rural communities and Representative Cook urging support to spotlight the 8th District.
Wyman told the committee he and other local representatives had brought 12 sides of ribs that were warming and would be available in the sponsor's office after the hearing. The committee recorded no formal opposition testimony, and the chair closed the public hearing with no further business.
The bill will proceed through committee process for further consideration.