Tourism Official Says Nixon Cost Branson Ad Blitz

The Springfield News-Leader reports that Governor Jay Nixon's incremental release of tourism dollars prevented Branson from purchasing ads just before the beginning of the summer season.
***
On Tuesday, The Notebook reported on Sen. Jack Goodman's frustration that only about $250,000 of the $1 million dollars promised by the Governor had been released.

A spokesman for the Democratic governor said Tuesday that the money was being released in increments because the Division of Tourism didn't need it all at once.

But Chad Livengood reports that interim director of tourism Bob Smith said that's not true because he couldn't purchase the ads without the money on hand.

"That's a real misnomer," Smith said. "We told them I've got to have the money by April 15," he told the commission.