Talks about Chinese hub in STL shift to a dinner in DC
Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau
December 9, 2009
by Jacob Carpenter
With the necessary funding to promote a Chinese cargo hub in St. Louis all-but-secured, the sales pitch continues.
Members of Missouri's congressional delegation and Gov. Jay Nixon will break bread tomorrow night in Washington with Zhou Wenzhong, the Chinese ambassador to the U.S., as they try to persuade China to invest in a cargo export station in St. Louis.
Those scheduled to take part include both Missouri senators, Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republican Christopher "Kit" Bond, as well as Democratic Reps. Russ Carnahan and William "Lacy" Clay, and Republicans Todd Akin and Blaine Luetkemeyer.
During several meetings this year, Zhou has signaled China's strong interest in the proposal for Lambert International Airport. When asked in January about a timeline for getting a deal done, he replied, "The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned."
The two-year-long effort to get direct flights from St. Louis to China has already included air studies, but the Chinese remain leery about whether enough businesses would use the proposed hub.
That's where Guenter Rohrmann comes in. Rohrmann, a former executive for DHL and a renowned air traffic expert, is being hired to woo airlines and shipping companies. He does come with a hefty price tag, though. He told the Midwest China Hub Commission in October that his fee is $931,000, plus travel expenses.
A battle for $2 million in state funding threatened to ground the project, but in recent weeks the Missouri state government pledged $1.1 million for the project and $500,000 in federal funds were secured.
The hub could be a huge economic boost for St. Louis and the rest of the Midwest as China's economy develops. St. Louis business leaders have voiced support for the project, but the Chinese still have to sign off on an agreement before construction could begin.
