Clay/Metro Press Conference

St. Louis Downtown Shuttle/Trolley System

Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay

Clay/Metro Press Conference, Kiener Plaza

10-11 a.m. CST, Monday, March 22, 2004

STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE WM. LACY CLAY

(Larry E. Salci, President and CEO of Metro, to introduce Rep. Clay)

Thank you, Mr. Salci, for that introduction.

Also, let me thank Carole Moody, President of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Center for standing with me today.

My friend and Congressional colleague, Rep. Dick Gephardt, also joined in support for these appropriations.

While he may not be with it us, he too deserves our gratitude.

Today we celebrate another effort by Metro to grow transportation in the St. Louis region.

Together, we are showing our fellow St. Louisans that another step in the long journey to a newer, better, more efficient St. Louis, is taking place.

Recently, Congress authorized an Omnibus Appropriation that included $250,000 toward development of the St. Louis Downtown Shuttle/Trolley System.

I understand the funds will be used to acquire six rubber tire trolley buses that operate on compressed natural gas.

The project includes a two-mile shuttle that would service hotels, restaurants, and downtown residential areas;

the Convention Center;

the Washington Loft District;

and Union Station;

as well as St. Louis Centre;

parking lots;

and retail locations.

Service would complement the circulator function currently provided by MetroLink and will stop at three light rail systems.

In closing, I am glad to be here today as we prime the pump on yet another urban project that will add to the growing vitality and opportunity for downtown St. Louis-the true heartbeat of the region.

Now, I'd like to introduce the President of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Center, Carole Moody, who would like to say what impact the Downtown Trolley would have on the St. Louis hospitality industry.

Afterward, we will take questions from the media.

Thank you.