MARCH 4-10, 2024 20 · SBJ.NET NEWS not – like an interstate running through it and an airport with 13 nonstop destinations, including five of the nation’s largest hubs. However, economic impact and operations stats aren’t available from the University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center and Springfield Expo Center, which is owned and managed by Georgia-based Atrium Hospitality LP. Atrium officials declined to comment for this story. The convention picture in the Queen City is a bleak one, according to Mark Hecquet, president and CEO of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc. since January 2023. Hecquet said he’s noted the strengths in the community during his time in the role, in addition to where opportunities lie. “One of the places that is now glaringly obvious for me is a lack of quality convention center facilities,” he said. Hecquet isn’t the first CVB director to make this observation. His predecessor, Tracy Kimberlin, appeared before Springfield City Council in June 2022 with strong words about the state of the city’s convention facilities – something he characterized as “a major problem” for Springfield. Kimberlin said the University Plaza convention hotel was in sad shape, with guests reporting leaky roofs, broken air conditioning and lack of hot water. He also reported that the city’s 112,000-square-foot Expo Center needed work. Hecquet said the problems with the University Plaza Convention Center are undeniable – as are the losses the city suffers as a result. “In Branson, their convention center’s doing really well,” he said. He added that Jefferson City is looking to build a convention center. In October 2023, capital city officials announced a downtown revitalization plan involving a convention center, hotel and parking garage, according to a report in the city’s News Tribune newspaper. Hecquet said Springfield loses business because of the condition of the city’s convention center. He said the CVB sales team scours the country to find prospective business for the city, yet much of this is turned away because Springfield lacks a large-scale facility for conventions. “There’s an untapped market,” he said. “There is a tremendous amount of business that we cannot bid on or that we lose because of our facilities.” Hecquet said the advantage to the city of hosting conventions comes through in ways beyond just convention center revenue. “They bring in people that will then visit restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, so Monday night in downtown is now a busy place,” he said. “That’s the story. It’s not just a convention center; it can bring economic benefits to the community.” A midlevel priority Springfield City Manager Jason Gage said the city’s position regarding the need to repair and upgrade the University Plaza convention center remains, though most communication since Kimberlin’s visit has occurred with its local management. The current general manager is Brent Parker, who did not respond to requests for comment. Nathan Wood, area director of sales and marketing, said he passed along SBJ’s request for comment to higher-level management. University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center is owned by Atrium Hospitality, which made a deal with the John Q. Hammons Estate to liquidate Hammons’ hotels, operated as JQH Hotels & Resorts, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. Gage said Atrium is mindful of the problem, but the company continues to provide the best hospitality environment it can with the resources available. “They are working very hard to do the best they can with the resources they have,” Gage said. “We are very appreciative of their efforts.” Stories in the SBJ archives show a $5 million makeover of the University Plaza Hotel, with funding help from the city of Springfield, in 2003, and a $2 million upgrade of the hotel’s interior and exterior in 2013. More recent renovations are not recorded. Gage said the city’s efforts toward addressing convention center problems are in the planning stages. “Enhancing our community’s convention capabilities has been a midlevel priority for some time,” he said. “In the long term, it would be nice to have a facility that could allow us to better compete with some larger, newer venues in Missouri and surrounding states.” In 2019, a feasibility study conducted by Hunden Strategic Partners and commissioned by the city and the Springfield CVB suggested placing a convention center and hotel development near Bass Pro Shops. The Chicago-based firm predicted the economic impact of such a development would be $1.1 billion over a 20-year period, according to past SBJ reporting. Two previous studies looked at other sites for a new convention center, in an Centers: Local facility needs work, officials say Continued from page 3 Turn Your Used Vehicle Into Support Give your used vehicle a new purpose when you donate it to KSMU. Donating your car is easy, and your gift is tax-deductible.* Call: 866-965-5768 or visit: ksmu.org/car to get started. HOW IT WORKS CALL OR DONATE ONLINE SCHEDULE THE FREE PICK-UP KSMU RECEIVES THE PROCEEDS YOU’LL RECEIVE A DONATION RECEIPT *Consult your tax advisor 417.447.4400 | CarnahanEvans.com The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. CONGRATULATIONS JOSEPH D. “CHIP” SHEPPARD III Best Industry Lawyer Statewide Mark Hecquet: Springfield turns away convention business because of inadequate facilities. Jason Gage: City appreciates efforts by Atrium Hospitality to improve Springfield’s facilities. $57.5M Economic impact from Branson Convention Center in 2023
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