Springfield one step closer to convention center goal

Mark Hecquet: A convention center would be a huge demand generator for the city.

Jason England: The proposed center would be a money multiplier and offer a great first impression.

Betsy Fogle: Sen. Lincoln Hough deserves credit for putting Springfield on the board.

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A long-discussed goal of adding a new convention center to Springfield has taken a big step forward after a $30 million earmark for the project was included in the Missouri Senate’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026.

The earmark calls for one-to-one matching funds for a convention and event center, and Springfield city officials say they are committed to providing the match.

A convention center feasibility study commissioned in 2024 by the city, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Springfield Association and Visit Springfield, Missouri – formerly the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau – is not ready for release. However, city spokesperson Cora Scott offered a preview, noting, “The potential economic impact is $1.37 billion over 30 years and will generate an estimated $75.8 million in direct state taxes.”

Scott said the city is committed to the $30 million match and is ready to explore using its tax revenues from every source on the project. Economic development incentive tools will also be explored, she said.

Private sector investment is also anticipated, with the cost of the facility expected to be much higher than $60 million, according to Mark Hecquet, president and CEO of Visit Springfield, Missouri. Hecquet said there is “absolutely” interest in such investment.

The location for the convention center has not been determined.

Hecquet believes the moment is right for this investment.

“This is a project that the city for many years has seen as an opportunity and hasn’t quite got it to the finish line,” he said.

The project would be an economic driver, not only for the city but for the region, according to Hecquet.

“The data is pointing more and more that Springfield is falling further behind every day,” he said. “We’re missing out on a massive demand generator for this city.”

It’s something Missouri Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, recognizes. Hough, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, added the earmark to the budget proposal. The deadline for reconciliation of House and Senate budget bills was May 9 – a day after the publication deadline for this issue of Springfield Business Journal – and if the Queen City earmark were to make it through that process, it will then have to be approved in the final version of the budget by Gov. Mike Kehoe. The next fiscal year begins July 1.

Hough told SBJ that the actual cost of a facility would likely exceed $100 million.

“The city may have a better number than I’ve heard, and it depends on the scope of the project, but I’ve heard it could easily top $120 million,” he said.

In addition to the earmark for a Springfield convention center, a similar project was added by the Senate Appropriations Committee for Jefferson City, where a $20 million allocation was proposed for a parking garage to serve a planned hotel and convention center.

Hecquet noted that potential tax generation of a Springfield convention and events center would be sizable, though he declined to disclose a specific number. He added that he had discussed the sizable scale of the project with Sen. Hough prior to the earmark’s inclusion in the spending bill.

“It can be a regional driver that would not only significantly help Springfield economically, but it would also be a big win for the entire state,” he said.

Jason England, president and CEO of Arvest Bank and vice chair for economic development at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, also sees clear economic advantages.

“It would bring in all sorts of additional spending,” England said.

First impressions are important, according to England, and a first-class convention center and hotel would buff up the Queen City’s appeal.

“If they come in and we have a first-class convention center and hotel, that would give a lot of great first impressions,” he said.

England added that supporting businesses, like restaurants and hotels, would also benefit.

“It’s a money multiplier with taxes, and it would just be a shot in the arm for us economically,” he said.

An emailed statement from Mayor Jeff Schrag said the convention center represents an exciting moment for the city.

“This is recognition of the Springfield metro’s growth in significance in the state,” he said. “Funding items such as this happen routinely for St. Louis and Kansas City, and we are grateful to finally be acknowledged in this way.”

Schrag added that the potential investment in a regional events center complex is more than a local development; it is a bold step for the region.

“For too long we’ve watched valuable tourism and event business drift to neighboring states because our current facility no longer meets modern demands,” he said. “The proposed partnership with the state of Missouri represents an incredible opportunity to reverse that trend, boost our economy and generate significant long-term sales tax revenue for both Springfield and the state. We’re ready to bring this vision to life.”

The vision
The feasibility and possible siting of a convention center is the subject of a fourth local study by Chicago-based Hunden Strategic Partners Inc., which was first commissioned by Springfield officials in 2011.

The new $88,000 study, which is an update of past work by Hunden Strategic Partners, was funded by $8,000 each from the city, chamber and Downtown Springfield Association, with the remainder paid for by Visit Springfield. By comparison, the 2016 version of the study cost $226,000.

The new report, commissioned at the end of 2024, is not yet available, city officials say; however, the most recent study, released in 2019, recommended a 100,600-square-foot facility, an adjacent or connected hotel and two other hotels near the Bass Pro Shops and Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. Hunden predicted a $1.1 billion economic impact over a 20-year period.

Adding a layer of intrigue to that possibility is work done recently on the Bass Pro site. There, a former 104,000-square-foot Kmart store that had been used for storage by the outdoor superstore was demolished, as SBJ reported in October 2024.

Bass Pro officials said they did not have plans for the site, which stands at the southern entry point of Grant Avenue Parkway, a multimodal pathway connecting Bass Pro to downtown.

Another possibility for a convention center site cropped up in a 2023 release of a master plan for the development of 1,000 acres of property including and surrounding Lake Springfield, which is owned by City Utilities of Springfield. One concept included in that study was described as an eco retreat with a sizable waterfront conference center.

Downtown remains a major contender for a convention center. The Springfield Expo Center and nearby University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center are located in the 600 block of East St. Louis Street. On the north side, the Glendalough Convention Center and Oasis Convention Center are located just south of Interstate 44 on North Glenstone Avenue.

Hecquet said the Expo Center is not large enough to meet Springfield’s needs, and some other components are also missing locally.

“Size is just one element, but to be honest, it’s what’s within,” he said.

Existing facilities do not have sufficient ballroom space to host large groups, and there isn’t enough meeting space. Additionally, other amenities, like outdoor plazas, are lacking.

“Other communities have and continue to invest in those elements to elevate their product,” he said.

Hecquet praised Hough for having the foresight to add the convention center to the budget bill.

“It’s a project that Springfield really needs,” he said. “It’s a tremendous economic opportunity for the entire city, and it’s something we should all be pushing to make a reality.”

He cautioned, however, that $60 million – the proposed earmark plus the local match – is not sufficient to meet the needs. He noted Hunden Strategic Partners is close to coming back with a recommendation on size and a cost estimate.

“I will say that $60 million will not be enough to build a facility that can position Springfield as a leader and really give us the venue we need at the end of the day,” he said.

The budget process
The Missouri Senate passed its budget measure on April 30, with 13 bills appropriating nearly $50 billion for the coming fiscal year, according to reporting by the Missouri Independent.

The budgeting process began with a Missouri House spending plan of $48 billion. The Senate plan adds $1.6 billion more but falls $575 million short of Gov. Mike Kehoe’s initial request.

The Independent reported that the House proposed 149 earmarks totaling $295 million, and the Senate cut 57 of those, valued at $126.3 million, while adding 169 with a price tag of $441 million.

Under state statute, the budget must be approved by the legislature one week before the end of the legislative session, meaning its constitutional deadline for approval was May 9.

State Rep. Betsy Fogle, D-Springfield, took time out from the budget reconciliation work to express her enthusiasm for a convention center project.

“I’m excited about a possible investment made back home in Springfield,” she said. “I’m hopeful we can maintain the Senate position. Sen. Hough worked hard to get this in, and Springfield is well positioned in the hands of Sen. Hough to bring this home.”

Fogle said the proposal is one to generate excitement and economic vitality in the state’s third-largest city.

“Sen. Hough does a wonderful job of advocating for the needs of Springfieldians and putting us on the board,” she said.

Scott said via email that the city, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Visit Springfield, Missouri, have worked together and pooled resources over the years on the convention center effort. She added that results from an updated version of the Hunden Strategic Partners study would be available in a couple of weeks.

“The study’s initial findings show that investing in a regional event center would significantly boost revenue for Springfield and the entire state of Missouri,” she said.

Hecquet said he can’t say who is interested in investing, but there is a lot of interest in the marketplace.

“Any time you can bring thousands upon thousands of visitors into a community, that’s going to generate interest at the private level,” he said.

Scott said the earmark came as something of a surprise to the city.

“This funding opportunity arose unexpectedly, but the city is incredibly grateful for it,” she said. “It underscores Sen. Lincoln Hough’s strong support and visionary leadership for Springfield, the region and the state.”