A bill designed to bring a cigar convention to St. Louis won passage at the Board of Aldermen today, but not without pushback from critics. Board Bill 167 won passage in an 8–6 vote after lengthy discussion and now heads to Mayor Cara Spencer’s desk.
Aldermen Rasheen Aldridge says he introduced the bill to help attract the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) to St. Louis. The legislation would exempt convention facilities from city-wide indoor smoking prohibitions for select events. But others are concerned it could open the door for other businesses to seek exemptions to smoking regulations and create public health concerns.
Every year, the PCA hosts a trade show bringing together 250-plus cigar and paraphernalia manufacturers from across the globe. According to Aldridge, the convention would bring more 5,000 attendees to St. Louis, supporting 1,200 jobs and $465,000 in city tax revenue…