Tour of Missouri organizers in St. Joseph and Chillicothe can stop holding their breath.

Gov. Jay Nixon approved the release of $1.5 million for the professional bicycle race, despite a recommendation from the Department of Economic Development to cut that amount from the Division of Tourism budget.

“Outstanding,” exclaimed Dick Sipe, chairman of the St. Joseph Local Organizing Committee.

One of the last legs of the 2009 tour, which begins Sept. 7 in St. Louis and ends Sept. 13 in Kansas City, will take place on Sept. 12, with a road race from Chillicothe to St. Joseph.

St. Joseph served as the 2008 race’s kickoff site.

Local organizers late last week put most of the $100,000 budget for St. Joseph’s part of the tour on hold as a result of the possible cancellation and funding freeze, six weeks away from the 2009 race.

“We understand the timeline on the tour — that it’s quick,” Mr. Nixon said in St. Joseph Monday when asked about his plans for the race. “I think cities like St. Joseph enjoyed the benefits of it and would like to continue it.”

Then on Tuesday, Mr. Nixon announced that the Office of Budget and Planning immediately would provide funding to the race.

“Missouri currently faces tremendous financial challenges, and the state must find ways to reduce spending,” Mr. Nixon wrote in a statement. “ Even as my administration continues to tighten its belt, I believe that the 2009 Tour of Missouri should go forward.”

Mr. Sipe said the news opens up the local committee to advance its advertising and marketing campaign and to finish up plans for Downtown activities the weekend of the race in Northwest Missouri.

“Now we can proceed, just as though it never happened,” he said.

But Mr. Nixon also called for a thorough financial review of any state money going to the race, which is now in its third year.

“Missourians deserve to know that state funds for the event are used transparently and accountably,” Mr. Nixon wrote. “They should know precisely how money for the Tour of Missouri is being spent, and that the event is being run in a way that minimizes the cost to taxpayers.”

Marci Bennett, executive director of the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau and member of the Missouri Tourism Commission, said she believes the state funds have served as good seed money for the tour in its first years.

“If it’s going to grow, it probably should not grow with taxpayer dollars,” she said of the state’s involvement in future tours. “But to pull this funding at the last minute would be completely inappropriate.”

Ms. Bennett leads a commission budget committee, which has outlined a list of cuts to Division of Tourism funding. But the Tourism commission voted Friday 8-0 to reaffirm the support to the tour and not include it in the cuts.

“I am especially delighted to be able to welcome Gov. Jay Nixon to the ranks of supporters of this race,” Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, commission chairman, said during a conference call Tuesday. “Today is the first day we have ever had any indication from Gov. Nixon that he is supportive of our efforts.”

Added Mr. Kinder, “We believe with the tension, ironically, this dust-up has caused, that it has given our race that much more of a supercharged effect for September 2009.”

Alyson E. Raletz can be reached at alysonraletz@npgco.com. Jimmy Myers contributed to this report. He can be reached at jimmym@npgco.com.