Springfield excels in having 'the right stuff'

The ink was barely dry on Part I when it was announced that the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau had conducted a successful advertising campaign informing outsiders that Springfield is the third largest city and metropolitan area in Missouri.

To locals, advertising that we are a city, not a small town, may seem like Coca-Cola advertising that it is a soft drink. Springfieldians drive in city traffic; they know it’s a fairly large, far-flung metropolitan area. Apparently, the ad campaign was necessary because previous research data indicated we were generally perceived as a small town, surrounded by several smaller towns. More recent research shows the ad campaign is helping the statewide impression of the city.

Last week, I said an advantage of Springfield is that it’s a city blessed with a small-town ambiance. It’s fine with me that outsiders consider this a major metropolitan area, as long as it doesn’t lose the feeling inhabitants have of living in a small town.

At the close of last week’s column, mention was made that the Springfield Business Journal reports on a strong business environment. Had more space been available, it would have been pointed out that one thing right about Springfield is that the economy doesn’t depend on a limited number of industries to survive. Although not perfect, the economy has generally absorbed the losses of certain major industries with a minimum of hardships. Overall, the economy is strong.

The renaissance of the downtown area is a well-documented example of what’s right with Springfield. Most downtown buildings have been renovated and seem to be thriving as specialty stores, eating establishments, loft apartments and nightclubs.

A trip through Jordan Valley Park certainly casts a spotlight on what most certainly is right about the future of Springfield.

Although Bass Pro Shops locations are sprouting up all over the country, Springfield’s original store remains a major tourist attraction. Trust me on this one, folks: Go anywhere in America and tell 10 people you are from Springfield, Missouri; at last half of them will mention Bass Pro Shops. With the recently improved American National Fish and Wildlife Museum next door to Bass Pro, a powerful attraction is there for both locals and tourists.

Springfield is often called the Buckle on the Bible Belt, as though that’s a bad thing. The inference is that there are too many churches in Springfield. First, I doubt that there are any more churches here than any city of comparable size. And I have to wonder what it can possibly be that people are prevented from doing by the supposed multitude of churches. In fairness to them, I have thought about it and can’t think of a single thing.

Rest assured that if by chance some church somehow prevented someone from doing anything at all, the civil libertarians would be in court with fire in their eyes trying to put a stop to it.

I believe the environment created by churches is something very right about Springfield.

Also, the arts are alive and well in the city. I hesitate to list individual groups because I would omit some worthy organizations. Local universities provide a panorama of visual and performing arts. A variety of museums, art studios, theaters and varying styles of music and dance blend together to present a cornucopia of entertainment.

Anyone complaining they have nothing to do in this city must be living in a cave with a boulder blocking the entrance.

No place is perfect. Like every other city in the worId, we have problems. But, when all the figures have been totaled, a lot more is right about Springfie1d than is wrong.

Joe McAdoo is former chairman of the communication department at Drury University.