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Today's Poll!Carroll wants conference center committee revived
Friday, May 4, 2012
One council member is trying to reinstate the conference center committee while claiming the latest center concept was detailed without any council input.
At the City Council Brown Bagel meeting Thursday, 4th Ward Councilwoman Carrie Carroll asked other council members to encourage Mayor Eric Struemph, who was not present at the meeting, to reinstate the conference center committee now.
Struemph has said he planned on waiting to appoint members of the ad hoc committee until after town hall meetings, the last scheduled for next week, and the annual council retreat, which has no date currently set.
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Comments
wow 1 year ago
Carrie....PAAAAALLLEEEEEEEEEAASEEEEE let this Conference Center idea go away for now. Maybe one day it can come to be, but right now the last thing JC/Cole County needs is a Conference Center. Job's, Jobs, Jobs, sidewalks, street lights, street repairs, new High School, etc, etc, etc,...that's what is needed.
JCsleeper 1 year ago
Conference center, please go away. JC has plenty of meeting space in our half empty mall. Lots villoter committeeof other large buildings vacant also. Even have Ronald McDonald rooms. There are more pressing NEEDS. Focus on infrastucture and gainful employment issues. Service jobs and tourism dollars aren't going bring in the funds JC needs.
melbrooks 1 year ago
One of the main reasons conference would be held here is to access the Legislature. Therefore, the conference center must be located near the Capitol complex.
sweet1 1 year ago
Thank you, Carrie, for keeping this up! I'm tired of having to take my meetings and conferences out of town so I can accommodate our groups. I'm proud of Jefferson City and would love to have our attendees discover our town. I am in complete support of a conference center in Jeff City.
dokeus6 1 year ago
Then you can pay for it.
sweet1 1 year ago
I practically do with the meetings I have to take elsewhere.
dokeus6 1 year ago
15 Million dollars. I highly doubt it. Your telling me that all the open space in this town and you can't find one open venue. The mall community center, the old ramada inn conference areas? Come on!
sweet1 1 year ago
Have you ever held a conference at the Ramada Inn? I have had board member ask me never to take them there again.
You need to see what other places have available before you start comparing JC's accomodations to them. You are saying that we can have an event for 250+ people with breakout space, dining facilities, wireless, trade show/exhibit area and easily accessible? I can tell you that I have toured our places. They are fine for a dinner, a special event or a family reunion. They are not sufficient for the typical corporate meetings that would last multiple days for out-of-town attendees.
JCLifer 1 year ago
I would not try to bring any of my meetings to JC. We have nothing for participants to do here. Lake Ozarks, Springfield, Branson, Columbia are all much better. We dont have an Interstate Higheay or a decent airport.
Why would anyone want to come to Jefferson City? Maybe a meeting of redneck drunks to go bar-hopping uptown?
Sequoia 1 year ago
So is the idea that the conference center will 1) serve a market for local groups who currently LEAVE Jeff City to hold a conference, or 2) serve a market of out-of-town groups by trying to ATTRACT them to Jeff City?
What kind of conferences related to the legislature are we talking about? Things that can't be held in hearing rooms or elsewhere in the Capitol?
Surely the City has some market research online, or some specific examples of the kind of events that we're talking about? Does anyone have a link to anything?
asb 1 year ago
It's actually quite simple . . . cities this size, and certainly administrative capitals usually have a conference center, funded and managed by the city. The purposes can be many, but the main one is to bring money into town. Leadership's failure to make this clear to voters, and to manage a CC's development is unfortunate, but we DO need one.
sweet1 1 year ago
I guess to start with I'd ask how many of those against this conference center are actual meeting planners. Personally I do about 15 corporate events per year. Out of those, only 2 can I host in Jefferson City. This means that staff has to travel elsewhere to accomodate our attendees. Twice a year I attend conference for meeting planners hosted in St. Louis and Kansas City. I usually end up meeting many other planners from the Jefferson City area that are planning for their statewide associations. We always have the same 'ol conversation. "It sure would be nice to hold events in our actual city."
I would gladly pay for it. I would be happy to check the box on my ballot that says add a tax to fund this project. Goodness knows I spend a minimum of $500 conference room rate for a half day in Columbia plus food, beverage and lodging. Those would be funds I would gladly spend in JC generating revenue for our town. Creating jobs for citizens. Bringing awareness to our area.
Sequoia 1 year ago
What jobs would it create?
sweet1 1 year ago
The actual facilities themselves I usually interact with conference staff including: catering, sales, maintenence, security, sound techs, chef and food prep. That's at the service level. You'd also have the actual back office including executive staff, accounting, etc.
If it were built in conjuction with a hotel, you would add more for the front desk, sales, housekeeping, parking, etc.
JCLifer 1 year ago
More minimum-wage jobs.
dokeus6 1 year ago
$7.25 an hour jobs.
sweet1 1 year ago
I haven't met a sound tech, chef, sales or executive that makes $7.25.
sweet1 1 year ago
Thank you for asking valid questions, Sequoia. I hope my answer isn't lost in a lot of other banter going on.
dokeus6 1 year ago
sweet1 ,its very often that when we are commenting that we get someone who answers the questions the way you are. It is good to hear the other side of the story. Sorry about the negativity and I really appreciate you being very candid in your comments.
dokeus6 1 year ago
How many people are attending your conferences that they need so much space. I thought the Capital Plaza was a conference center? Oh that is a privately held business that the city doesn't want to use because the money coffers go to someone else.
sweet1 1 year ago
250+. I don't work for the city. I have taken events to Capital Plaza. It's a good fit for some functions, it's not a good fit for others. Smaller breakout rooms and exhibit rooms can be an issue.
I don't want to dog the facilities we do have. When possible, I prefer to stay in town. There are plenty of times, though, that is not an option.
JCLifer 1 year ago
All you folks who are happy to pay for a conference center, please feel free to send your generous checks to the CVB. No one has been denied supporting this if they wish.
JCsleeper 1 year ago
Oh yeah. Just like they would refund the $800k ptemporary property tax levy for ambulance service. Reduce taxes in JC ? LOL
JMO 1 year ago
I suspect they think the most money will come from the state. There are many state departments and groups that hold conferences, continuing legal education, annual meeting and such. I know for sure there are a number of goverment assocaiations that hold annual meetings and conferences, I've been to several at the lake, either the Lodge or Tan Tar A. The Bar association has annual meetings, pretty much always at Capitol Plaza, and it's really almost too small, very crowded. I suspect the city thinks they will be able to get that revenue. And maybe so. There's always the "no one want's to come to JC because there's nothing to do" complaint, but I've not been to many conferences where you left the hotel except to eat dinner. They ususally have activities and happy hours and such at the hotel. Of course, if you have a conference center, you only have the activities and maybe some meals...but the hotels still get the business of the out of town attendees.
I'm not making a call on if a conference center is a good or bad thing. I personally think it would be better to be privately funded, of course, then the private enterprise gets the money. But I can see where the city thinks the revenue will come rolling in. As for job growth, it's not just the new employees at the conference center, but there are restaurants, bars, hotels, and shopping that people do, either before or after meetings or coming and going. While, as I said, there's not a lot of leaving the hotel done at the ususual conference I've attended, there is some and every new customer is a good thing. All in all, I think a conference center may be a good thing. I just don't think it's as important as some other issues the city needs to attend to.
JCLifer 1 year ago
The state is drastically cutting back on conferences. They are buying web cams and setting up webinar rooms in their offices for teleconferences. If the city and the Chamber think that state government will fill their conference center, think again. Meeting planners in state government like to get away too- that is why many of the conferences that the state does plan will continue to be held in Branson, Lake Ozarks, Springfield, and even Columbia.
Face reality: NO one wants to have a conference here unless it is a very cheap short conference and does not have free time to tour area facilities. The only reason anyone would want to have a conference in this town is because several of the local hotels offer rooms at $45 a night. Cheap is the only think that draws conferences here. If it costs any money at all, they go to Springfield, the Lake, Columbia, or Branson.
dokeus6 1 year ago
I wonder why? One reason could be because these cities have a night life so when the people from the conference get done they can go do something. Who would have thunk it?
rodinman 1 year ago
I would like for the city council and city adminstrator provide the citizens with their financial projections and a business plan. At one town hall meeting the mayor stated the city did not know how to operate a conference center and would need to hire someone to do that. Logically speaking, who would open a business (convention center) that they do not know how to operate?
Gabrielle 1 year ago
JMO: I would like for you to elaborate on the following comment.
'All in all, I think a conference center may be a good thing. I just don't think it's as important as some other issues the city needs to attend to.'
What do you identify as 'other issues the city needs to attend to'?
JMO 1 year ago
It's just that I tend to agree with folks who say we need street repair, street lamps and sidewalks and other such things. There are parts of town that just look shabby, not that every town doesn't have it's poor areas, but very close to the main business areas, and in the main business areas, there are empty buildings and storefronts, etc. We need to attract businesses and that I don't think a convention center will necessarily do that. Now, if it will actually raise enough revenue to do those other things, I might feel differently.
JCLifer 1 year ago
I think that entire corridor of expressway from the Tri-level to Clark Avenur needs to be cleaned up and landscaped nicely to help make our town look more attractive. Especially the core area from Missouri Blvd to Monroe needs to look much nicer. The entrance to to the uptown area needs to look very nice, with the view of the Capitol in the background. That area has been a blight for several years.
JCLifer 1 year ago
"Do you think the city should do emminent domain on the shabby privately owned buildings?"
YES. Do something. Make an example out of a handful of slum owners and maybe the rest will take notice and get their properties cleaned up.
JCInsAgt 1 year ago
I've been to quite a few conventions both in and out of town and I have to disagree with the idea that bringing in convention goers will substantially increase revenue in our town. Most convention goers eat/drink at their hotels or a restaurant/bar that is recommended by locals....unfortunately the recommendation tends to be the same place each time. Convention goers are not spreading their dollars around....they typically stay within one or two businesses inside an industry. Until someone can tell me how bringing in a convention center will help the guy who changes my oil at Wal-Mart, or the person who cuts my hair, or the receptionist that works at the plumbing company that fixed my kitchen sink, or the really nice stocker boy at Hy-Vee that helped me find what I needed, or the person at the Dept of Revenue that helped renew my license plates, or any number of other citizens that make up the majority of this town, then I'm not interested. There's a reason why people keep telling special interest groups to pay for the convention center themselves....they are the ones that will use it and benefit from it. The other 90% of Jefferson City residents that won't benefit or find any use from the convention center could care less if we have one. Just don't expect us to foot the bill for it. That's all we ask.
melbrooks 1 year ago
Based on the recent town hall I attended, the current plan envisions no additional cost to the city (or its residents) beyond the current lodging tax.
When I have attended conventions, my group tended to try a different place each evening to get a flavor for the area.
The purposes behind a conference center are many-fold: 1) capture those dollars here which are going elsewhere (and the revenue and jobs those dollars generate; and 2) Bring more entertainment options to the city. Many dollars are spent via vendors who want to woo potential customers, and take them out for a night on the town. The thought is more businesses will spring up to fill that niche, rounding out Jefferson City's options; 3) Get those same conference attendees to consider JC for a leisure visit; 4) Provide a venue for events which have outgrown the current facilities, such as the Vitae Society.
Finally, based on the presentations at the Town Hall, the city would contract with a conference center management firm; the city would not be involved in day-to-day operations.
I find it ironic how some think the city should somehow guarantee that the proposed facility will be a raging success--yet do not want to see the city put a dime into it. It seems to me it is unreasonable to expect a high rate of return with no investment and no risk.
JCInsAgt 1 year ago
"I find it ironic how some think the city should somehow guarantee that the proposed facility will be a raging success--yet do not want to see the city put a dime into it. It seems to me it is unreasonable to expect a high rate of return with no investment and no risk."
During a recession I do not think it is in the city's best interest to gamble with taxpayer dollars. And yes, right now while many people are living paycheck to paycheck I do not think it's ok to propose something that "may work". Drive up and down McCarty Street or High Street and look at all the buildings that need to be torn down....now that's a proposed investment with a guaranteed return. No business wants to move in next to a vacant, falling down building. And nobody wants to buy a house next to one either.
melbrooks 1 year ago
It seems antithetical to the sensibilities of the community to take private property via eminent domain, which would be the only way to achieve the stated goal of tearing them down. It seems ironic that many who champion private property rights often advocate the taking of others' property.
I don't see many properties on High Street in poor condition, although there are a few. There are more on McCarty, and it is correct: the condition of buildings affect others around them.
However, this article is about the proposed conference center, not the poor condition (or perception thereof) of property. There is little doubt there are individuals living paycheck to paycheck. But that fact has little bearing on the conference center. Regarding risk: nothing ventured, nothing gained. It's one reason our area struggles to grow.
waldo 1 year ago
I've been reading a lot of the posts and there are a lot of good points. But I want to take a bit of a different approach. And that is to incease Jefferson City's ability to improve the infrastructure there must be increased revenues. So how do we do that? In this economy the manufacturing base has left the U.S. never to return until the 3rd world countries increase their level of compensation to match what the U.S. pays it's workers. We do not sit on an interstate highway and don't have a viable airport. So the manufacturing base isn't where there is growth potentail. Where does it lie? A river boat would have been an excellant attraction along with a job and tax revenue generator. But our ultra conservative community spoke and said no to that type of job development. It's a shame. It would have made the convention center idea a more viable possibility. But now what do we do? At least with a convention center it will produce jobs for our construction industry while being built. It will then produce more service sector jobs and the ripple effect will be felt by the food suppliers, beer distributors, restaurant equipment suppliers and more. The employment ripple effect would impact even more businesses. And I can't help but feel that the state would (or even should) hold more of its sponsored events in JC just because of the difference in state per diem. In JC the per diem is $79.00 verses St. Louis at $104.00 and KC at $99.00. For a 300 room convention going to St. Louis for 2 nights the savings of holding that event in JC would be around $15,000.00 in our state tax revenues. And those 600 room nights would generate spin-off revenues in all kinds of different ways. So for the short term and long term success of JC I still feel the conference center, placed in the core of the city would help build the revenues we need to fix the sidewalks, the streets and more.
waldo 1 year ago
Graceful, I must ask how you came to this conclusion? I've been in the hotel business in this community for 16 years. All in sales. I have seen the transformation of the market place from when the Capitol Plaza opened until now. In the early years of the CPH they hosted ton's of state wide conferences for DESE alone. Those conferences now go to the lake or somewhere else due to the size and complexity. In the beginning none of these conferences had trade shows linked to them. But since then all of these organizations realized that there was a chance for the organization to maximize revenues with their addition. The Plaza could handle up to 400 for meetings and meals. You then add in a trade show and there wasn't enough space. Right now DESE alone sends about a million dollars a year to the lake due to the size requirements. I know there are other state agencies that have had to do the same thing due to space requirements. By keeping these conferences here not only do we make money but the state won't have to pay to house and transport their staff that coordinate these events. So it would actually be a win-win!!!
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