Legislature reappropriates $30M to city for convention center, pending budget approval

Missouri lawmakers yesterday approved the reappropriation of $30 million in convention and events center funding to the city of Springfield for the next state budget.

The reappropriation is part of an act appropriating money for capital improvements for state government departments and offices and their programs.

Cora Scott, spokesperson for the city, said in a phone call today that the funding is part of the state budget, which Gov. Mike Kehoe must sign before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. She said the money will still be on withhold, as before, meaning that if the appropriation is approved as part of the budget, it will still require a release of funds by the governor.

“The language is the same – I asked,” Scott said.

She said the city does not have additional comments at this time.

“We want to see if it makes it across those two hurdles,” she said. “It’s a good sign that it was reappropriated.”

Asked about the $30 million appropriation recommended by the Citizens’ Advisory Board and approved by Springfield City Council for the center, Scott said those funds, from the Spring Forward SGF sales tax, are still being held, as the CAB has not met since the April 7 failure of a lodging tax the city was relying on to pay for a convention and events center.

A meeting has not yet been scheduled for the body, which must recruit, select and onboard new members, Scott said.

The appropriation specifies that the funds are for a city of 160,000-200,000 inhabitants – only Springfield matches that description – for the “planning, design, property acquisition, construction, renovation, maintenance and repair of a regional convention center complex, provided that local matching funds must be provided on a 50/50 state/local basis.”

Springfield Business Journal reached out to Mayor Jeff Schrag for a comment but did not hear from him by deadline.