2023 Economic Impact Awards 21-35 Years in Business: Oasis Hotel & Convention Center

Continual improvement is a constant theme at Oasis Hotel & Convention Center.

According to General Manager Missy Handyside-Chambers, having an active owner in Robert Low, who also is the founder of Springfield trucking company Prime Inc., is key to the north-side hotel and convention center’s growth.

“We are constantly doing something to make us better. This goes back to when Robert purchased the property back in 1999,” Handyside-Chambers says. “He had a vision of making it a resort-like atmosphere in Springfield, Missouri.”

Beyond hotel stays and events hosted in its convention center, Oasis Hotel & Convention Center has a number of amenities that seek to meet that resort goal.

There’s an on-site eatery called Fire & Ice Restaurant and Bar, pizza from Bella’s Pizzeria, indoor and outdoor pools – and new as of the coronavirus pandemic era – a massage room.

“Currently in Springfield, I don’t know of any hotels that have a spa at the hotel,” Handyside-Chambers says. “We offer massage services, we offer facials. You can book a 60-minute massage. That’s been a good revenue source for us.”

It’s proved to be an additional incentive for booking conventions, she says. At an upcoming three-day convention, the spa’s nearly booked out.

“We’ve also gained some local clients,” Handyside-Chambers says. “We’ve had individuals who live here in Springfield who have heard about it and are looking for a nice spa experience.”

The 172-room hotel currently is removing guest room bathtubs and replacing them with walk-in showers. A new phase of renovations coming up, Handyside-Chambers says, would focus on a “fresh new look” for indoor corridors with updated carpeting and wallpaper. The hotel lobby also is due for upgrades, she says.

While the pandemic was a difficult time for Oasis Hotel & Convention Center, as travel slowed to a near halt, Handyside-Chambers says Low took the opportunity to conduct some $6 million worth of renovations to the indoor pool and atrium, outdoor pool, fitness center and Fire & Ice, as well as the addition of a cabana bar.

Handyside-Chambers says while the adverse effects of the pandemic are not fully over, Oasis Hotel & Convention Center is on a growth trajectory.

“People are ready to travel. People are ready to have some events. People really crave getting together as a group and really feel like networking with their colleagues and peers,” she says. “Business travel is starting to pick back up quite a bit.”