Meanwhile, In Convention Center News

Dome at America’s Center’s financial future uncertain as county refuses additional funding: The Dome at America’s Center has an uncertain financial future, according to an audit report released Wednesday by Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick. The facility doesn’t have sufficient funding for maintenance over the next decade, the audit found, estimating a $67 million funding […]

Columnist Forgives Springfield

Opinion: The convention center: We aren’t there – yet: At the same time, I really believe in the people of Springfield. I’ve seen what we can do when we come together. We know how to collaborate, solve problems and do great things together. He forgives you, Springfield. Please try do do better next time. Soon.

The Magic of Jim Manley

Ah, gentle reader. As you might have gleaned from the tone of the blog lately, I’ve been fighting vainly the old ennui. But last week, I had a magical moment which might have set things aright, or at least made things a little better. My beautiful wife had submitted, almost off-handedly, a talk for the […]

Setting the Stage for Another Sequel

Voters reject proposed tourism tax to fund downtown Springfield Expo and Convention Center: “We respect the decision of our voters and appreciate the time they took to learn about the proposal and make their voices heard. Our next steps will be to take what we have heard and really focus on the priorities of the […]

You Will Vote Until You Vote Right

Springfield lodging tax increase once again on the ballot to fund convention center It has not been six months since the last time rejected this same proposal. The vested interests who will benefit from this source of public funding will not be denied. And presumably the longer it takes to get the funding improved, the […]

You Will Vote Until You Vote Correctly

Springfield city leaders aim get lodging tax increase back in front of voters this Spring: The future of a new Springfield convention center is still being considered. Last November, voters shot down a 3-percent hotel-motel tax increase. Now, the city is hoping to provide the information needed to present the issue again to voters on […]

You Will Vote Until You Vote Correctly, Citizens

Hotel tax increase ‘still on the table’ as city reconsiders how to fund convention center Year after voters rejected one casino, another moves forward Actually, the latter is different; it is an Indian casino which can go ahead. Last year, voters voted down an amendment that would allow a non-Indian casino. But it’s of the […]

Maybe I’m Amazed

Springfield voters say no to increase in the city’s lodging tax to help fund a convention center Ah, but like a movie villain, it will rise and shamble on, and voters will have to reject it again and again until they vote the right way and add to the marketing slush fund.

Another Skeptic Speaks

Springfield’s forgotten palace: A cautionary tale for today’s convention center dream: Springfield’s current push to build a modern convention center complex echoes a similar campaign that began 120 years ago and resulted in an impressive, innovative facility. However, today’s promoters should hope that history doesn’t completely repeat itself, because that early 20th-century convention center was […]

The Racket Moves Into Springfield

Ah, gentle reader. If you’ve been here a while, you know I spit frown upon the convention center arms race racket, where “consultants” come up with projections about how, if only municipalities spent millions of dollars now (and every few years from now), a Periclean golden age would befall their cities. Or, at least, consultants […]

Some Yes, Some No

A meme on Facebook. As I mentioned in 2016, I took my boys too the old neighborhoods where I lived in Jefferson County: So we hit St. Louis late in the morning, five hours ahead of our hotel check-in time, so I took the long way in, through Jefferson County where I could show the […]

TIFs Ad Absurdum Achieved

Here at Missouri Insight, we come down very hard on the concepts of TIFs because they favor one business over another. In Illinois, the Collinsville Gateway Center takes it to the logical conclusion, asking not only for the government to collect taxes to build infrastructure for the independent business, but to help pay its bills: […]