Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A bill to create a “Capitol Area Tourism Authority” fizzled out at the statehouse, and that’s just fine with State Sen. Steve McClure (pictured) (R-Springfield).

The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield), would have led to expansion of the BOS Center and construction of a new “flagship” hotel with it. McClure said there is no need for the state to help build a new hotel which would compete with existing businesses, to say nothing of those businesses collecting hotel-motel tax to contribute to it.

“We are competing for conventions with places like Bloomington and Peoria and Champaign, and our hotel owners right now are struggling to fill rooms. To force those hotel owners now to charge their hotel guests the highest taxes in our entire state of any city other than Chicago would make it even more difficult for us to compete against the cities that we have to compete with for events.”

McClure looks forward to seeing the governor sign his bill to make it easier for certain prescriptions to be transferred – without a new one having to be written up – if your pharmacy is out of that drug.

McClure was a guest on the WTAX Morning Newswatch.