City seeks RFPs on latest conference center concept

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The latest conference center concept for Jefferson City soon will go out to developers and hoteliers as the city looks to issue a request for proposals.

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At the City Council work session Tuesday, City Administrator Nathan Nickolaus said his staff could put out the RFPs now, and he is confident the city will receive some responses for the scaled back concept unveiled at recent town hall meetings by Mayor Eric Struemph.

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JCsleeper 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Oh, please hurry with this project. Our fair city will simply wither and die without it. Maybe add a pool that will open on Memorial Day weekend.

dokeus6 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Same old song and Dance!!!

Mayor Struemph who has your ear. Surely not your boss , the voters. I guess it's the money man that stands just to your rear who is goading you into pushing this project.

Guess who will not get my vote for re-election.

JCLifer 11 months, 4 weeks ago

The conference center will add lots of high-paying young professional jobs! We will need a professional janitor or two to vacuum the meeting rooms every night, and we will need a professional water pitcher filler to set the rooms up for the meetings.

Our town will be so complete and everyone will want to move here. A conference center is wanted so much more than two high schools. People will move from Columbia to live here.

JCLifer 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Call John Q. Hammonds! Maybe if we ask nicely he will build a real nice hotel and convention center for free like he has done for other towns!

melbrooks 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Mr. Hammons is in poor health and in a nursing facility near Springfield.

JCLifer 11 months, 4 weeks ago

You think his investment company is closed down?

melbrooks 11 months, 4 weeks ago

I think it is a company in a holding pattern until internal power struggles are resolved. An he is a minority owner in that company.

stltoday.com/business/local/article_bfa81030-385e-58a0-a6b9-b90d069d4be0.html

JCLifer 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Looks like they are chugging along, managing the portfolio of more than 200 upscale hotels.

jqhhotels.com/company/leadership/

melbrooks 11 months, 4 weeks ago

According to the Springfield Business Journal, the company owns 78 hotels. It also hasn't opened a facility in over a year and a signature project in Springfield itself (Hammons backyard) failed to materialize as promised due to funding issues.

articles.kspr.com/2011-11-06/springfield-business-journal_30367873

JQH is a fine company, but it's unrealistic to think a white knight is coming to build or operate a conference center for free. But a hotel company may be willing to work with the city to build and operate a conference center--if it can make money at it. The RFP process will determine if anyone is interested.

centerguy56 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Mel: great to see someone with some FACTS about what is going on!! I grow weary of all the one line "stuff" and uniformed comments. Keep it up!

melbrooks 11 months, 4 weeks ago

I'm trying! Thanks for the props.

JCLifer 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Maybe the Puris will build another hotel in Jefferson City. They seem to have a relationship with the City Hall...

JCLifer 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Oh, and name it the Landwhere/Rackers/Chamber center so we can be reminded who brought this money-losing pig to our town.

MO4LIFE 11 months, 4 weeks ago

WHAT PART OF WE DON'T WANT IT DOESN'T THE MAYOR UNDERSTAND!

melbrooks 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Maybe he's aware the voters passed a lodging tax earmarked for a conference center in February of 2011.

newstribune.com/news/2011/feb/08/lodging-tax-passes-polls/

dokeus6 11 months, 3 weeks ago

newstribune.com/news/2010/nov/22/council-puts-lodging-tax-issue-ballot/

where is the parking garage in all this talk? I think the city government should think about the revenue that a big old parking garage would create on a consistent basis instead of a conference center sitting empty.

SkepticalJeffersonian 11 months, 4 weeks ago

I thought the state was "donating" the land for the conference center along expressway so that the conference center would be available for state use. Now the city wants to "scale back" the conference center. Why is the state "donating" property for a "scaled back" conference center that may no longer meet the state's needs? Both city and state government need to reconsider this project - if the city is not willing to build a conference center that meets the state's needs, the state ought to hold on to its property.

mia 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Good God, I am glad I don't live there. Its bad enough I pay taxes on the schools. We don't even want to live in the area, much less alone JC. I can't get over the crime that has taken hold of the place and the crud that runs around on the East end. And it just gets worse, not better. I wish you all luck but I somehow doubt your over taxes residents will go for this (again).

MO4LIFE 11 months, 4 weeks ago

What "crud on the east end" would you be talking about? mia!

tonto_goldberg 11 months, 4 weeks ago

You know, the "crud on the east end" is "them". The city should also be glad that "mia" does not live there. Let that person enjoy his/her current surroundings where there aren't any of "them".

MO4LIFE 11 months, 4 weeks ago

By "them" do you mean black americans?

tonto_goldberg 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Everyone has their own "them". Black persons might be the perceived problem if "mia" is white and prejudiced. If that poster is black or oriental or hispanic, etc. there could be a perception of danger from white (or your ethnic choice here) trash meth-heads.

JCLifer 11 months, 4 weeks ago

A-1 Small Engine's beautiful lot?

1OPINION43 11 months, 4 weeks ago

What part of no does the city fathers not understand! The only reason I can think of for this to have hung on for twenty years is that someone is going to get a payoff.

melbrooks 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Again, perhaps it would help to know the voters passed a lodging tax earmarked for a conference center in February of 2011.

newstribune.com/news/2011/feb/08/lodging-tax-passes-polls/

dokeus6 11 months, 3 weeks ago

newstribune.com/news/2010/nov/22/council-puts-lodging-tax-issue-ballot/

The lodging tax was earmarked for a conference center and a parking garage.

Build a parking garage!!!! Build what the city needs not what it wants.

JCLifer 11 months, 3 weeks ago

The fear is that state employees might use the parking garage too. That is probably why it is cancelled.

dokeus6 11 months, 3 weeks ago

where do you think the revenue will come from?

mia 11 months, 4 weeks ago

NOT hardly. I am referring to ANY thug that would shoot people and scare the wits out of upstanding kids that are trying to go to Lincoln. Apparently you do not read much. I am probably the least predjudiced person in the world. Thugs are thugs and JC has plenty of them, trust me. Thats all you hear on the news. Forget the convention center, its a total waste in that God awful place.

MO4LIFE 11 months, 4 weeks ago

I wasn't accusing you of being prejudiced i was just asking because of all the crime! My only problem is that all the crime is not just on the east side. There is plenty on the west side as well unless you do not read the stuff from the west side of town. I agree the convention center is a total waste of time and money due to the fact that nobody is going to hold enough conventions here for it to be feasible because there is absolutely nothing for people that come to a convention here to do at all after the meetings!!!!

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