City spokesperson says two ‘wildly different’ convention center design concepts to be revealed this week

Springfield residents will soon have two “wildly different” design concepts to mull for a proposed regional convention and event center to be located downtown, said Cora Scott, Springfield’s director of public information and civic engagement, at Springfield Business Journal’s People You Need to Know monthly event series yesterday.

City officials and architect Populous Inc. have planned the public release of the design concepts for an event scheduled for 4 p.m. on March 19 at the Discovery Center of Springfield, 438 E. St. Louis St. The event was originally scheduled for March 13 but was delayed at the request of the architect, according to past SBJ reporting.

The planned release of the design concepts comes just weeks ahead of an April 7 single-issue election, in which city voters will be asked whether they want to approve a 3% lodging tax increase. If approved, funding would go toward construction, operation and maintenance of the proposed convention center at the existing Springfield Expo Center site at 635 E. St. Louis St. The tax would sunset after 35 years.

Springfield City Council put forth a similar measure to voters in November 2025, and it failed with 52% opposed. Only 7% of registered voters, numbering 7,488, cast ballots, according to past SBJ reporting.

Prior to that ballot issue, state lawmakers last year approved $30 million in funding for the convention center, which was later restricted by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Kehoe has the authority to decide whether to release that funding between now and June 30, the end of the state’s fiscal year, according to past reporting.

“So, what they're bringing forward are two wildly different concepts for what this quarter of a million square foot event center could look like,” Scott said yesterday. “I think people are pretty excited to see it, and the reason that we had to delay was that we weren't ready, and so we've had to learn our lesson. We want to be ready. We want to make sure that we have ideas that we can explain, especially on the architecture side.”

Scott noted that the designs to be released later this week are conceptual in nature.

“This is all pre-design ideas, because this isn’t a project until the voters say it’s a project,” Scott said.

Over the course of six to seven weeks, Scott said, Populous has engaged in “pretty extensive” public visioning to help develop the design concepts.

“Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to invest in a convention event center is up to the voters, and we just do our best to get the information out so that people can make an educated decision at the polls,” Scott said.

As SBJ previously reported, the center is estimated to cost some $175 million for the facility, with additional land acquisition expenses adjusting the total price tag to roughly $205 million. A nearby multimillion-dollar hotel would also need to be developed to service the event center, officials say, though such a project would be privately funded and built.

First-year revenue from the 3% tax, if it passes, is estimated at $4.9 million, rising to an estimated $21 million in the 35th and final year, 2061, for total revenue of $407 million. Annual debt service on the $145 million for the convention and event center would start at $3.7 million in the first year and climb to $13.7 million in 2057, the final year, according to past SBJ reporting.

Scott was mum on details as to how the city might choose between two convention center design options should voters adopt the lodging tax increase. She outlined several considerations that would be weighed in the case of a yes vote, noting that the proposed facility would be “a gathering space for the community” in addition to its tourism function.

“If there is a yes vote, then you begin in earnest the actual planning and conceptualization of what would go into an event center,” Scott said. “And it really is not just a convention center. While it would be a building that would be built to hold conferences and conventions, it really is a multipurpose building that could be flipped to have an indoor soccer field. It could be used for graduations; it could be used for a variety of different things.”

Route 66 festivities
Scott is currently serving as chair of both the Missouri’s Route 66 Centennial Commission as well as the National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff Celebration.

Missouri allocated $3 million in state funding for Route 66 festivities this year after the Route 66 anniversary commission was set up some three years ago, Scott said. Funding has gone toward activities like special events, tour stops and interactive songs, Scott said.

Missouri’s state funding for Route 66 purposes is less than that of some other Route 66 states like Oklahoma, which since 2023 has a $6.6 million per year revolving fund for Route 66 revitalization separate from Route 66 centennial celebrations, according to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

Scott said private sector sponsorship for Missouri Route 66 celebrations this year includes myriad local entities such as Vital Farms Inc., Bass Pro Shops, Multipli Credit Union, Ozarks First and KY3 Inc.

“Many, many others are coming on board,” she said.

Scott added, “Donors have stepped forward and said, ‘This is good to invest in getting people off the couch, out of their houses, in their cars and seeing America, the real America. And so, we're going to invest in that.’ So, we're really proud of taking the relatively small budget that we have, and then just getting others on board and making it even more spectacular.”

Scott said April 30 will feature a major concert at Great Southern Bank Arena including Little Big Town; Chris Janson ֪– “who is a Perryville, Missouri boy”; Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts; Gretchen Wilson; Ozark Mountain Daredevils; and The Haygoods from Branson.

“One of the highlights is we lured the ‘Today’ show to Springfield,” Scott said.

Scott revealed that on April 30, the “Today” show will broadcast its third hour from downtown Springfield with hosts Al Roker, Dylan Dryer and Craig Melvin.

“We had three producers from NBC ‘Today’ show, including the executive producer, in Springfield on a site visit last Thursday,” Scott said.

Before that visit, Scott said, “I was just bragging about Springfield, as you guys know I often do, and they said, ‘We don't know ... what's in the water there, what's in Springfield?’ And I said, You gotta taste it. Gotta come and see it. And so, they did.”

Fox News’ morning talk show, “Fox & Friends,” will also come to Springfield to cover Route 66 activities, Scott said.

Known in the community for her relentless enthusiasm, Scott highlighted Springfield’s attributes as a city with creative spirit and entrepreneurial spirit as big draws for attracting national media attention.

“People have a stick-to-itiveness here in this region, that if we put our minds to it, we’re going to get it done,” she said.

Scott said it was not difficult to recruit the “Today” team, and she added that Springfield did not disappoint.

“Once they came here, they were just blown away by all of the different things we have going on, all the famous people who have gone on to do great and wonderful things that hail from Springfield,” she said.

Scott described some of the process by which Springfield was named host city for national Route 66 centennial kickoff festivities.

Scott said the Missouri commission is made up of representatives throughout the state.

“Then-Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe asked me to join that commission, and little did I know that I’d draw the short straw and then become the chair of that commission, but that happened,” Scott said.

Before long, opportunities became clear through the nationwide Route 66 Centennial Commission, and Springfield applied to be named host city for the kickoff festivities.

“They had certain parameters,” Scott said. “They wanted a show – that's my forte. They wanted a show. They wanted USA. They wanted entertainment, and they wanted someone who would host an event on April 30, which is the actual anniversary of Route 66, so I started telling everybody, if we don't get this, I don't know what we're going to do, because we are the birthplace and that famous telegram went from Springfield to D.C. on April 30. But we applied, and we beat out other big cities – Tulsa, a friendly rivalry with our Oklahoma friends – and thankfully, we won the honor of being the host city, and it's been a whirlwind ever since.”

According to numerous historical accounts, including ones by Missouri State University Libraries, Springfield is often dubbed the “birthplace of Route 66” due to an April 30, 1926, telegram sent to Washington, D.C., from downtown Springfield. Drafted by various highway officials, that telegram proposed 66 as a catchy number designating a major new highway running from Chicago to Los Angeles, which federal and state officials were planning a century ago. Today, the road has become a historic hallmark of American culture, drawing tourists from around the world.

Give Five funding
Scott touched on Give Five, a “civic matchmaking” program she said she co-created with former Springfield City Manager Greg Burris for the purpose of connecting retirees and near-retirees with community volunteering opportunities.

“The secret sauce is just learning and going behind the scenes – how your community ticks and works,” Scott said.

She noted the program has spread across nine locations in Missouri, but that state funding is expected to cease.

Burris, who was among attendees at yesterday’s SBJ People You Need to Know event, joked that “manna from heaven” is one alternate funding source being explored for Give Five.

Scott added that alternate funding discussions are ongoing. “And actually, we’ve had foundations come to us who have learned about the work, specifically for civic engagement, for seniors and volunteerism, because social isolation is the No. 1 health concern of older adults.”

In other topics that came up during her People You Need to Know interview, Scott talked about her personal life including her love of the performing arts. She noted she’s been a dancer all her life, a choreographer and even coached the dance team at Parkview High School for a decade.

“I’ve done Irish jigging, I’ve done clogging, I’ve done everything but ballet, because as a hyper young child, it didn’t take,” she said.

After her duties with the Route 66 centennial wrap up, Scott says she; her husband, Jeff; and daughter, Sophie, plan a much-anticipated trip to Ireland in May.