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.
What happened: The city began formal steps this month to hire architects and a Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR) to start design and preconstruction work for a proposed downtown convention and event center that consultants estimated could cost about $175 million. The moves come as the city presses to show progress before a Nov. 4 ballot asking voters to approve a 3% increase in the hotel/motel tax to help pay for the project.
The city opened its process by requesting Statements of Qualifications for full architectural services on Aug. 12. The architectural team is scheduled to be selected on Sept. 5 and will have until Sept. 19 to submit a contract proposal. The city invited qualified teams to apply for the CMaR role on Aug. 18 to help deliver the project on an accelerated timeline. The construction manager finalist is planned to be picked on Sept. 10, with contract talks to finish by Sept. 24. Shortlisting and interview steps are scheduled in early September as the city moves quickly through selection rounds.
City leaders say rapid action is needed because a $30 million state appropriation for the project is currently on a governor’s restricted list and could be released only at the governor’s discretion before the end of the budget year. If that funding is released, it would require a local match and must be spent ahead of a June 2026 deadline. The city wants to show real design and preconstruction investment so the state match will remain on the table.
The city allocated $250,000 from hotel/motel tax fund reserves for necessary early work, described in council documents as support for professional services to assess travel and tourism projects. City management said about $100,000 of that has been spent on consultant work for financing structure so far. Officials also warned additional local funds may be reallocated as design and preconstruction needs emerge.
State lawmakers set aside $30 million for Springfield in the most recent state budget. A citizens’ advisory group recommended using one year of the 1/2-cent SPRING Forward SGF sales tax to provide a $30 million local match, which would pair with the state money for a combined $60 million. That combined total would cover only part of the estimated $175 million needed to build the suggested event center.
To raise construction money beyond state and local match funds, the City Council approved sending a ballot question for a 3% lodging tax increase to voters on Nov. 4. If approved, those hotel/motel fees would support a bond issue intended for construction costs. The lodging-tax question currently appears as the only item certified for Greene County ballots, and holding the Nov. 4 election will create extra costs for the city estimated to be more than $277,000, which was not included in the original $250,000 allocation.
A recent market and feasibility study recommended building a 125,000-square-foot event center downtown, with an estimated construction price around $175 million. Some public descriptions have mentioned a larger footprint of 250,000 square feet in other materials, and city releases and local reports have included overlapping but not identical details. The design is expected to meet at least LEED Silver standards.
City staff continue to work with consultants on financing and have not yet identified a final site for the center. Officials hope a location will be chosen within 60 to 90 days as engineers and architects begin their work. The project plan also recommended a 400-room hotel adjacent to the center, and officials note that plans for operations and an adjacent hotel remain unfunded. City staff expect the facility to run at a deficit once operation costs are counted.
Local business groups have publicly supported the lodging-tax increase. Outside experts note lodging taxes are commonly used to fund tourism infrastructure because they place the cost mostly on visitors rather than residents. At the same time, experts say measures that tie tax revenue to specific projects can build voter trust but also deserve careful evaluation because they reassign money the city would otherwise have for other needs.
If any of the main funding pieces fall through—state release, local match, or voter approval—the project would likely stall, be delayed or be reworked. City officials are continuing daily work to test funding scenarios and look for alternatives. If voters approve the lodging fee increase, construction could begin as early as 2026, but many pieces must align first, including state funding release, final design, contractor selection, and debt financing tied to hotel tax revenue.
The plan is for a downtown convention and event center, described by city materials as the Springfield Regional Convention & Event Center. Consultants recommended a 125,000-square-foot center with an estimated cost around $175 million, though some materials mention a larger footprint.
The city is starting design and preconstruction to show progress and protect a possible state funding match. Starting early also helps meet tight spending deadlines if state funding is released.
Planned funding includes a $30 million state appropriation, a proposed $30 million local match from sales-tax revenue, and a bond repaid by a proposed 3% increase in the hotel/motel tax that will go to voters in November. Those funds would not cover all estimated costs.
If voters reject the tax, the city would have to find other funding sources or scale back the project. Officials say the project would likely stall or be re-evaluated if major funding pieces are not secured.
No final site has been named yet. City officials expect a location to be identified in the coming 60 to 90 days as design teams and engineers begin work.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Estimated cost | $175 million (approx.) |
| Suggested size | 125,000 sq ft (consultant recommendation); other sources list larger figures |
| Funding in place | $30M state appropriation (restricted), $250K city reserve for preconstruction |
| Proposed local match | $30M from SPRING Forward SGF sales tax (recommended) |
| Ballot measure | 3% hotel/motel tax increase on Nov. 4 to fund construction |
| Design standard | At least LEED Silver |
| Construction manager timeline | CMaR finalist Sept. 10; negotiations by Sept. 24 |
| Architect selection timeline | Selection Sept. 5; proposal due Sept. 19 |
| Other major items | 400-room hotel recommended but unfunded; operating costs not yet funded |
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