Four firms compete for hotel-office project

Two of the developers – Branson-based HCW Evergreen Inc. and Springfield hotelier John Q. Hammons – submitted proposals earlier this year before the city issued a second, more specific request for proposals in April.

New to the mix are BC Development, a Kansas City firm working with Arbor Motel owner Becky Spence, and Opus Northwest LLC, based in Minneapolis. Opus Northwest is one of several firms that had been working with BKD LLP, the Springfield accounting firm interested in building a new corporate headquarters on the former arena site.

The city’s second RFP explicitly sought an office building with at least 100,000 square feet of Class A office space and frontage along St. Louis Street that’s capable of accommodating BKD.

The revised RFP included minimum criteria for the proposed hotel: at least 150 rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a four-star rating under a nationally recognized flag. The city also asked developers to submit detailed parking plans and promised to give “favorable consideration” to firms willing to purchase all or a portion of Jordan Valley Car Park.

Mary Lilly Smith, the city’s economic development director, said no timeline has been established for selecting a developer. Smith said she expected additional time would likely be needed to negotiate financial details before tax-increment financing commissioners make a recommendation to City Council.