Letter to the Editor: Unlocking Springfield’s potential: The case for a new event center

Dear editor,

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Springfield voters will decide whether to raise the city’s hotel/motel tax by 3% to fund construction of a proposed $175 million convention and event center. At Visit Springfield, our mission is to bring visitors, events and economic growth to our community. This project represents the opportunity Springfield has been waiting for.

Every day, our team meets with planners and organizers who want to bring conferences, sporting events and conventions here. They want to see our unique attractions and vibrant neighborhoods, and to experience our welcoming community. But without a large enough facility, Springfield is too often passed over in favor of St. Louis, Kansas City or St. Charles. A new convention and event center would finally give us the ability to compete and win.

The potential impact is significant. Independent research by Hunden Partners projects that the facility could host more than 160 events annually, attract 179,000 attendees, support 80,000 hotel room nights and generate millions in new economic activity. That translates into hundreds of new permanent jobs, new private investment and an estimated $125,000 in daily visitor spending.

Equally important is how the project would be funded. The hotel/motel tax is paid by visitors staying in hotels, motels, tourist courts and short-term rentals, not by local residents. Those who benefit most from the facility, our guests, would shoulder the cost. A citizen oversight committee would provide transparency and accountability, ensuring every dollar is used as promised.

Some critics suggest other regional destinations already meet this need. But the facts tell a different story. The Lake of the Ozarks does not have a convention center. Branson’s venues are smaller and serve a different market. Even St. Louis’ dome was built for football, not conventions. Springfield’s facility would be larger and purpose-built, filling a gap and complementing – not competing with – others in the state.

It is time for Springfield to think bigger. This project is about more than a building. It’s about jobs, investment and new opportunities for our city and our region. It’s the missing piece of tourism infrastructure that will allow Springfield to compete at a higher level, attract events we currently lose to other markets, and give our community the momentum it deserves.

—Mark Hecquet, president and CEO of Visit Springfield, Missouri