Queen City hotel occupancy drops in February

The Springfield hotel occupancy rate dropped to 51.8 percent in February from 52.1 percent in the same month a year earlier. During the month, average daily rates moved up to $75.95 from $70.96 a year earlier, according to the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau.

However, for the first two months of year, occupancy was 48.4 percent, an increase over 47.9 percent in the same two-month period of 2014. Through February, the average daily rate climbed to $75.13 from $70.34 in the same period last year, according to recently released CVB data.

Visitors to the Queen City spent $6.2 million on hotel rooms in February, an 8.4 percent increase compared to room sales of $5.8 million in the same month a year earlier. For the first two months of the year, room sales totaled $12.1 million, an 8.6 percent increase from $11.2 million at the same time a year earlier.

Room supply increased 1.8 percent to 158,536 in February and 0.6 percent to 334,027 for the first two months of the year, according to the CVB. Room demand also was up slightly to 82,119 in February from 81,108 a year earlier. Year-to-date room demand was 161,689, up from 159,030.

CVB staff have booked 11 upcoming events with an estimated combined 6,209 room nights. The events are:

• AAU Girls Midwest Basketball Championship, June, 1,509 room nights;
• Missouri Office of State Courts Administration, June, 75 room nights;
• US Open Bowfishing Championships, June, 400 room nights;
• Missouri League for Nursing, July, 15 room nights;
• North America Envirothon, July, 600 room nights;
• National Christian Homeschool Nationals, October, 1,160 room nights;
• National Christian Homeschool Volleyball Championships, October, 1,290 room nights;
• Association for Missouri Interpreters, February 2016, 180 room nights;
• Special Olympics of Missouri, May 2016, 300 room nights;
• Missouri Valley Division/International Association of Fire Chiefs, July 2016, 300 room nights; and
• Missouri Library Association, October 2016, 380 room nights.

Two recent events, the April 12-14 Missouri Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda competition and the April 11-12 Missouri Youth Soccer Association’s 2015 President’s Cup were predicted to bring a combined 5,900 visitors to town and create an economic impact of $1.5 million, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.