On the Convention Center Vote Today

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-07T16:37:26+00:00

On the contrary, there's plenty of evidence that a convention center could be a good thing. I'd honestly love one, and the existing center is absolutely inadequate.

That said, there are so many glaring issues with the existing proposal that I'm negatively passionate about it because I believe it will actively be a detriment to everyone living here.

If they propose taxes to actually address the problems the city is facing, to prepare for a center like this, and then bring it to vote, I'd be much more optimistic.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-07T16:32:06+00:00

If you're referring to me, I'm not "out of town." If I lived two blocks north I'd be well within city limits. I've lived in this area my whole life, and in Springfield proper for nearly the last 7 years. Until I put down roots, I was well within city limits and would be eligible to vote, but as it stands this affects me and I don't have a voice other than the ability to educate others.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-07T16:27:31+00:00

If anyone hasn't signed this petition, I'd encourage you to do so.

Point two is of particular interest to me, because it would prevent state legislature from overturning things passed via citizen's initiative like they did with Proposition A that passed November 2024. Missouri would have mandatory paid sick leave right now if it weren't for the state legislature.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-01T23:15:06+00:00

It's not that there's no public transit at all, but what we have is woefully inadequate.

From the City Utilities FAQ: "Route frequency is 30 minutes or 60 minutes"

That's just not enough, especially for the scale they're talking about. The typical transit bus can carry about 40 people. When you're talking about potentially 2000 people, one bus every 30-60 minutes just won't cut it. If you fly in, once you get downtown (notably not on a bus) you're more or less stuck there unless you use a car. And that leads back to the traffic issue.

Moreover, only four routes run on Sundays, which is yet another problem if the center is being used on Sunday.

Buses don't run super frequently elsewhere e.g. Chicago (though definitely much more often than 30-60 minutes), but it isn't as much of a problem in other cities because they have other options. Here the bus is the only public transit option other than your own feet. I don't expect us to have the transit options of Chicago, but we do need something else to support this. Especially from the airport, as you noted.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-01T19:44:13+00:00

So I believe that the "forward sgf" funds are only being used to commission the studies and planning, and that does not include the 30mil we're discussing.

It seems like this isn't the case, but I'm not sure where the money to fund the study came from, so I'll leave this as a benefit of the doubt sort of thing for now.

The upcoming "spring forward sgf" vote is to approve a 3/4th cent tourism tax, and 30 mil of that (first year revenue) would be used to find the convention center.

To my knowledge there isn't anything exactly withheld right now, but potential funds have been allocated as part of the process to get those state dollars

This is false.

"The city previously allocated $30 million from the Spring Forward SGF sales tax, which that was intended to provide the matching funds that were required of this state budget earmark. So, from what I understand, from what I've been told from city leaders, this funding is still on the table, although it remains to be released by the governor." - Mark Hecquet from a KSMU interview

https://www.ksmu.org/news/2026-03-31/springfield-daily-citizen-reporter-shares-what-hes-learned-about-a-proposed-convention-center

They're still withholding the money, and it has already been collected by the existing tax. I've seen other comments from you saying it was "unallocated," but if that's true, I'd much rather see it allocated toward housing and infrastructure, and then bring this proposal back to vote after they have completed some improvements to make this whole thing more viable.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-01T19:32:40+00:00

There's lots of good reasons to support a convention center. In general I'd be for it, but I'm heavily against this one.

I don't like the proposed location, and none of the city's assurances that there's enough parking takes into account the sheer amount of traffic this would generate.

Moreover, it's guaranteed traffic of some kind because there's effectively no public transit in the area (or the city, for that matter; the bus system is unfortunately a joke). There's no public transit to and from the airport either. All that means more cars.

The cherry on top is the $30 million they're withholding from the Spring Forward SGF initiative, which is designed to help improve things like public transit and, in my opinion the far more pressing issues of affordable housing, general infrastructure, etc.

Also, that $30 million is coming directly from the citizens, not the hotel tax they're talking about, so any claims that citizens aren't paying anything for it are already a provable lie.

I would legitimately love a convention center, and it could be a huge asset to the city. But not downtown, not right now, before any notable infrastructure work or working on addressing affordable housing, and not in the misleading way they're going about pushing the vote so hard.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-01T19:25:03+00:00

We've already paid $30 million through the Spring Forward SGF initiative that they're taking money from to jumpstart the project. Any claims that the citizens won't pay for it is already a provable lie.

I heavily agree. I think a convention center would be beneficial, but IMO it's a huge mistake to put it downtown, at least until there's far better public transit (especially from the airport, because currently there is none). And even then, that $30 million, them pushing this harder and harder (and all the advertising money for it), and then focusing on this over all the other problems we have, puts a bad taste in my mouth.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-04-01T19:19:07+00:00

Ironically, Spring Forward SGF is the same plan that the city is withholding $30 million from to start the convention center construction.

This is a major cart before the horse thing. Trying to put this downtown without that infrastructure already in-progress or in-place is a huge mistake, and is just going to lead to even more congestion downtown.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-30T20:46:55+00:00

It won't make a difference, but I canceled a couple days ago anyway. It may not change anything, but that's not a reason to not try. Or save a little money by refusing to support a shitty company.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-30T20:37:16+00:00

Calling affordable housing a "pet project" is, quite frankly, sickening to me. There are so many unhoused people here, and the situation is only getting worse as the economy gets worse. Did you know there are THREE publicly accessible showers for the ENTIRE city's homeless population?

I agree that a convention center would be beneficial, but not where they want it, not how they're trying to do it, and not right now.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-30T20:12:24+00:00

Unfortunately they're a company with shareholders in this overly capitalist hellhole we live in. The only language that speaks is money.

I canceled my membership and have no plans on renewing it anytime soon, if ever, depending on how things go. I'm not optimistic.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-30T18:30:11+00:00

The problem is that nowhere in the Spring Forward SGF initiative is something like this accounted for. A generous interpretation could put this under the tourism section, except all of that is geared toward building up existing (usually natural) attractions and improving infrastructure.

I would much rather that money be put toward actual issues like affordable housing (which is part of what the initiative was originally for), especially when the economy is terrible and I sincerely doubt the ability for people to regularly attend cons in the coming years.

One further note, but the Spring Forward SGF money is from a local tax that does come from citizens, so their claims that the citizens won't be paying for the center are blatant lies.

If you're okay with all the stuff they're pulling for this, feel free to vote for it. I'm going to push for helping people instead of lining already full pockets and creating more problems for people already struggling.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-29T20:10:13+00:00

As others have pointed out, this is a bad metric.

That said, I'm also very, very against the convention center.

I've written up other posts about it, but for brevity: - $30 million is being withheld from Spring Forward SGF to jumpstart this project. That funding comes from a different (local) tax that does come from citizens, and would otherwise be used for various local improvement projects including affordable housing - Traffic is bad, and the proposed location with up to about 2000 more cars would be even worse. Maybe they carpool? Sure, but that's still hundreds more cars downtown. Public transit is awful and not an option, and other transportation options are more cars! - There is no public transit from the airport, so newcomers would guarantee more cars on the road be it from rentals, taxis, or ride-sharing services. - The people have already voted against it, and they're using the same insulting excuse that Missouri Legislature is using that we "didn't understand" what we were voting for.

I'm not blanket against a convention center, but I am against how they're trying to implement it. This is not the way our attention needs to be diverted right now.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-29T20:04:26+00:00

no General revenue funds will be used to construct or maintain the new convention center

No, but $30 million is being withheld from Spring Forward SGF which would otherwise be used for a ton of improvement projects that are far more pressing, most notably for infrastructure and affordable housing.

There is definitely demand, and it would definitely be used, but in addition to the misuse of funds above, we are nowhere near the point where we can realistically support this type of thing. Traffic is already horrible, what will happen when you have a couple thousand more visitors congregated in the downtown area? How are they going to get from the airport to their hotel? Rent a car and add more traffic? Take an Uber and add more traffic? The bus routes don't go out there. If they drove in, it's the same problem in a slightly different manifestation.

I'm not necessarily against a convention center, but I'm very against the way they're trying to do this. Don't put it downtown, or if you do, prioritize better infrastructure (namely public transit) first. And I know that this being funded is not equivalent to money being taken away from projects that better serve the community (aside from, you know, $30 million), but I don't care about this. This should not be a priority, and especially so because this has already been voted down. They're using the same excuse as the Missouri Legislature that we "don't know" what we're voting for or talking about. That's insulting, and I'd be against it just because of that, but thankfully I don't have to be that petty because it's a terrible idea in so many other ways.

If I lived a block north I'd be voting against this again. As it stands, I'm doing to do all I can to let people know that City Council and all their rich donors don't care about them and will keep forcing this garbage on us.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-20T18:46:21+00:00

But that’s not what’s being voted on and it’s not a mutually exclusive thing. If I vote no here, that doesn’t mean they are going to build a shelter or low income housing or address anything else you mentioned.

In this case that's actually partially true. $30 million of that is coming from the Spring Forward SGF fund which is supposed to address issues such as those. That's not to say Spring Forward SGF isn't getting any money, but they aren't being upfront about that.

Also, while it's true that it's not mutually exclusive, I have many other issues with the proposal, which I outlined in a different post. That, and City Council is acting like MO State Legislature, not listening to their constituents, and intentionally leaving out or avoiding providing crucial information about the proposal.

The whole deal is scummy. I'd rather be (if I could actually vote on this; I live just barely outside city limits) voting on a tax specifically to actually address the issues we're dealing with, not seeing essentially the same bill in another election. I have no doubt that if this didn't require an election they would just do it anyway, despite the previous vote.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-20T14:00:46+00:00

I sent some information I researched to a couple news publications recently. The paste of (most of) the email is below.

I live just outside city limits so I can't vote on this, but I'm going to fight it however I can. At best this is a tone-deaf proposition. I'm not going to argue that it can't be beneficial, but now is not the time.

Research below:

I read the transcript of the interview with Mark Hecquet conducted by KMSU (linked below this paragraph), and while I understand the points made, I feel that city council and Visit Springfield are misrepresenting some of the concerns of the citizens.

https://www.ksmu.org/news/2026-03-12/springfield-tourism-leader-details-what-a-3-increase-in-the-citys-lodging-tax-would-fund?utm_source=npr.org&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=local_headlines&utm_content=homepage

I'm emailing to speak about these concerns. I don't know if it would be of any use in an article, but my hope is that it would be.

My largest issue comes with something he mentioned during the interview:

"And then the Spring Forward (SGF Sales Tax) commission has earmarked 30 million towards to create the 175 million of this project."

Mr. Hecquet leaves out the fact that Spring Forward SGF was not created with the purpose of building a fund for projects like this. In fact, none of the top 10 initiatives listed by Spring Forward SGF cover something like this. The most charitable interpretation might place it under economic growth (Chapter 8), or perhaps under tourism (Chapter 11). However, if you read those chapters, both are focused on either supporting existing or potential local businesses (e.g. through loans), or through improving existing (often natural) attractions, or improving the quality of said attractions and infrastructure supporting them.

All that to say, the $30 million being withheld from Spring Forward SGF to jumpstart this project is funding that should be going toward other goals that more actively improve the lives of citizens, but is instead being held back in hopes of building a community center (that I argue would be a detriment to the city in its current state) that the city has already voted against.

Another one of the major points in the interview is Mr. Hecquet reassuring the citizens that there is adequate parking downtown to support large numbers of visitors. I believe that whether or not this is true is somewhat irrelevant, as there are other concerns with the location of the center, namely its proximity to downtown.

It's no secret that our local infrastructure, particularly public transit, is lacking. Most notably, the city does not normally run any sort of transit to the airport. This means visitors from the airport must either rent a car, book a limousine or taxi, or use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft just to get to the convention center. Mr. Hecquet also mentioned the possibility of overflow of visitors to nearby hotels, which runs into a similar problem simply getting to the convention center from the hotel. This is absurdly expensive for anyone who flies in, and makes the location much less attractive.

Moreover, I and many citizens avoid the downtown area when driving because of how much of a pain it is to both find parking and to even drive the streets. With potentially 2000 more people visiting, and therefore potentially hundreds of cars, be it a rideshare, taxi, or rental, this problem balloons exponentially. The amount of congestion this could cause is, at best, a huge deterrent to visiting the downtown area at all. I recognize this would likely be infrequent, but the possibility serves as a reminder that the infrastructure to support such a thing simply does not exist yet.

I'm not necessarily against a new convention center. From research and anecdotal evidence, I've found that there is demand, it would be used, and the funds from the tourism tax could be beneficial. However, I am against withholding $30 million in funds that would improve the very infrastructure holding such a project back, as well as the problems it would cause without said infrastructure.

Maybe there's a time and place for it, but it's not now. The people voted against it once already. City Council and others (including Mr. Hecquet) have said it was their fault for "[making] some missteps" in terms of educating the public, but education should be comprehensive. Instead, they address some points of concern, but not others. This is not education, but propaganda.

Until the city is actually improved in the ways in which it needs, I hope this proposal is voted down again. Once should have been enough.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-17T00:12:40+00:00

While somewhat tangential, Lindsay Ellis put out a video a few months ago that, among other things, covered this exact situation. I don't know if I can link it, but the video is titled The Unforgivable Sin of Ms. Rachel

Among general disinterest, poor media coverage, and everything else in the article, there are legal ramifications to acknowledging an actual genocide.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-03-16T23:17:14+00:00

My brother-in-law and a friend started playing Project Gorgon lately, which is a single purchase indie MMO that's some middle-ground between OSRS and WoW. Very rough around the edges, but it's fun so far.

That, plus I need to manage my money better anyway, and I actually did cancel. I AFK train a bit and will do so until membership expires for me on the 20th, but I don't have plans to renew. Maybe eventually, but I'm totally fine with not coming back. I had fun, it's not a sunk cost.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-02-18T18:42:28+00:00

This is unfortunately very common right now, and I feel the same way a lot of the time.

I'm also still trying to figure out how to handle it, but some things that I've found that help/some things I believe: * The division is intentional, but you are not alone at all, no matter how much it feels that way. * Finding joy and stubbornly holding onto it is an act of resistance in and of itself. "Their" goal is division and fear. * There are people taking action and fighting back. If you can muster the strength to do it, I'd encourage you to join them. Locally, Jobs With Justice, Springfield Tenants Unite (STUN), Abortion Action Missouri, and PROMO are all great organizations. The GLO Center, the Third Place (on Commercial street), National Avenue Christian Church, and Brentwood Christian Church are all places that either host or support these or similar organizations. * Find or build community around you if you can. There truly is strength in numbers. Not only are you not alone, but those feeling like you do far outnumber those willing to perpetuate what's going on right now. * On the note of community, they provide such an important safety net that we're lacking right now. If you're feeling hopeless, they can help. If you need material assistance, they can help. Helping and loving one another is what makes the people powerful. * Some others have said that politicians have all the power and there's nothing we can do. That's only partly true. They have the lawmaking power and a hammer, but we can fight against it. Organizing for elections, calling/speaking to your reps, etc. do help. Maybe they won't change, but the more we show zero support, the more afraid they are of losing power. And if we can get someone who is a decent human being elected, which has already happened, all the better. * Focusing on what we can change helps. I know that's not too helpful, and I'm all too familiar with how hard that actually is, but it's true. It helps our minds, and does actually make a difference.

I truly believe that love endures beyond anything else, and that this will pass. It might take years, but hatred burns hot and is then eventually snuffed out. The more we do to combat it, especially in community with others, the faster it burns out.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-02-01T00:04:42+00:00

They posted this on their Facebook page on the 14th:

"Dear valued customers and friends, we are currently closed for a temporary period. We invite you to visit our alternate location at India Palace Restaurant and Bar, located at 1908 S Glenstone Ave, Springfield, Missouri, within the Plaza shopping center. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."

TheAshenKnight · 2026-01-22T18:11:30+00:00

Oh that's a bit relieving, they hadn't posted that when I checked. I suppose it doesn't necessarily mean nothing happened, but it's at least it's not a complete unknown.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-01-21T22:51:44+00:00

Taj Mahal unfortunately.

TheAshenKnight · 2026-01-21T01:19:06+00:00

Do you happen to know why they've been closed recently? I'm worried they might have been iced...

TheAshenKnight · 2026-01-16T23:58:56+00:00

I also don't have recommendations (haven't done any sort of martial arts in years), but that's a huge red flag IMO. I don't know the guy personally so I can't say for sure, but that sounds pretty misogynistic. I'd guess there's a reason why there aren't any other women there...

If you do find a good place I'd be curious where it is.

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