Design team reviews plans for the proposed Springfield Regional Convention & Event Center as cranes and the downtown skyline loom in the background.
Springfield, August 24, 2025
City officials launched the next planning phase for a proposed downtown Springfield Regional Convention & Event Center by soliciting architectural design teams and a Construction Manager at Risk to begin preconstruction work. The consultant-recommended facility is roughly 125,000 square feet with an estimated $175 million construction cost. A $30 million state appropriation is currently restricted and would need a local match; councilors propose a lodging-tax increase to support bond debt and have allocated $250,000 for early professional work. Selection timelines are accelerated to show progress before an upcoming lodging-tax vote while financing and operational gaps remain unresolved.
The city of Springfield has launched an accelerated effort to design and pre‑construct a new downtown convention and event center, moving to hire both an architectural team and a Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR) before a critical voter decision on a lodging‑tax increase this November. A recent consultant study put a likely building size and price tag at roughly 125,000 square feet and $175 million, though some descriptions of the plan have listed a larger footprint.
Officials opened the process for architectural proposals in mid‑August, requesting Statements of Qualifications for full design services. The city set a schedule to select an architectural team by Sept. 5, with that team required to submit a formal contract proposal by Sept. 19. The search for a CMaR began shortly after, with finalists to be chosen by Sept. 10 and contract negotiations expected to finish by Sept. 24. The stated goal is to keep design and preconstruction work moving on an accelerated timeline so key funding sources remain available.
The city is pushing ahead partly because the State allocated $30 million to the project in the recent budget, but that appropriation has been placed on a restricted list by the governor and would only be released at the governor’s discretion, potentially late this year. If released, the state funds would require a local match and must be spent ahead of a June 2026 deadline. City leaders say early design and preconstruction work helps show real investment and may influence whether state funding is ultimately unlocked.
The City Council committed $250,000 from existing hotel/motel tax reserves to cover project expenses now, citing due diligence needs like site evaluations. Roughly $100,000 of that has already been used for consulting on financing. Officials acknowledged additional reallocations could be needed once the design and CMaR processes advance.
City leaders are pursuing a multi‑part funding plan that would not fully cover the estimated construction cost. The plan includes the potential $30 million state allocation, a proposed $30 million local match drawn from a portion of a newly approved 1/2‑cent sales tax designated for transformative civic projects, and a bond issue backed by a proposed 3% increase to the hotel/motel tax to be decided by voters on Nov. 4. That combined $60 million would cover only a portion of the project estimated at about $175 million; the remaining financing plan is still being refined.
The lodging‑tax increase would be the only question on the Greene County ballot as of certification; holding the Nov. 4 election will add costs not included in the $250,000 already allocated, with estimates to the city running above $277,000 if no other issues are added. The lodging tax currently sits at 5% in Springfield; the proposal would raise that by 3 percentage points and dedicate the increase to construction repayment. Officials note the tax level would still place Springfield in the middle relative to regional competitors.
Key pieces of the project remain unresolved. The final site has not been chosen, though engineers and architects are expected to help identify a preferred location within the next 60–90 days. The financing plan still needs to account for long‑term operating costs—an operating deficit is expected—and for an accompanying 400‑room hotel that consultants recommended but for which funding has not been identified. City staff warn that if any material funding element falls through, the project would likely be delayed, stalled or re‑evaluated.
Local business leaders have signaled support for the lodging‑tax proposal as a typical tool to fund visitor‑focused projects, while outside analysts urge careful review of long‑term commitments since visitor‑funded taxes can also free up money that the city would otherwise have received. Voter history in Springfield shows strong recent support for tax measures, but statewide and nearby community results highlight that tax votes can be close and are sensitive to current attitudes toward taxes.
A new downtown convention and event center estimated by consultants at about 125,000 square feet and roughly $175 million to build, aimed at hosting conventions, concerts, tournaments and community gatherings.
The plan relies on three main pieces: a $30 million state appropriation (currently restricted), a $30 million local match from sales tax revenue, and bonds repaid by a proposed 3% lodging‑tax increase to be voted on Nov. 4. Additional funding sources have not yet been identified.
Yes. The city allocated $250,000 for design and due diligence and is hiring architects and a CMaR to begin preconstruction steps now, aiming to keep potential state funds available.
If key funding pieces fail, the project would likely be delayed or re‑evaluated. City leaders state these funding elements are material to proceeding.
The location has not been finalized. City officials expect engineers and architects to help identify a site in about 60–90 days as design work advances.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Estimated building size | Approximately 125,000 sq ft (some descriptions have listed a larger footprint) |
| Estimated construction cost | $175 million (consultant estimate) |
| State allocation | $30 million (on a restricted list; release at governor’s discretion) |
| Local match proposed | $30 million from a portion of a 1/2-cent sales tax |
| Local funding committed now | $250,000 from hotel/motel tax reserves for due diligence and preconstruction |
| Ballot measure | Proposed 3% increase to hotel/motel tax on Nov. 4 to back construction bonds |
| Key selection dates | Architect selection by Sept. 5; CMaR finalist by Sept. 10; final negotiations by Sept. 24 |
| Potential construction start | If voters approve and state funds are released, possibly as early as 2026 (contingent on financing) |
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