Conference center, infrastructure among city’s 2013 priorities

Monday, January 14, 2013

Jefferson City priorities for 2013 range from accomplishing long-discussed projects, such as the conference center, to continuing to maintain existing infrastructure.

Fourth Ward Councilwoman Carrie Carroll said her biggest priority for the year is the long-proposed conference center. Carroll said though things finally are moving on the concept, with the city hoping to get proposals from hoteliers and developers by the end of the month, it hasn’t moved as quickly as she had hoped.

The conference center is high on the priority list for other council members as well, including 2nd Ward Councilman J. Rick Mihalevich and 5th Ward Councilman Larry Henry.

Carroll said another priority for her is the upcoming municipal elections. Four out of five wards have a race, and she said she wants to make sure the new council will be business-friendly.

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Crump 4 months ago

Why can these people not understand that the people of JC don't support this idea. Through the years the council has come up with many silly ideas such as Adrian's Island, the conference center, which is planned to be on a piece of property owned by Miss carroll's family. Every time a vote is taken it is voted down. We need people in these positions that listen to the people that they represent and not carry on with ideas that aren't wanted. I feel sorry for CMSU.

lovemyboys 4 months ago

JC needs a conference center. My husband & I just got back from St Louis at a large model train show. You wouldn't believe the people! And it was held in a large conference center. We need something larger in JC for venues that need more space. Shows like that would bring in $$ for the City. It's hard, if not impossible, to find adequate facilities here in JC. You can complain about the cost, but u have to spend $$ to make $$. I don't care about Adrian's Island, but you all are always complaining JC is going backward & yet when people try to do something to move the City forward, u complain. We are the Capital City. We host alot of events. We need nicer hotels & facilities to accommodate out of Towners. I live in JC & my husband works for the City...we support a conference center.

jeffcitygirl 4 months ago

Really think people are going to come to Jeff City just for a train show? We have NO other entertainment to offer... St. Louis has a whole slew of fun famil things to do. What do we have, we don't even have a chuck e. cheese for the kiddos. Drag the kids to go see some decrepit prison? Families will NOT come vacation here and no one wants to have a conference here b/c there is nothing to do after hours! We have conference rooms out at Truman Hotel and at Capital Plaza that accomodate most events just fine.

melbrooks 4 months ago

Jefferson City voters passed a lodging tax in support of a conference center, 56% to 44% in February of 2011.

Neither of the proposed sites include any of Ms. Carroll's family's property.

It's the SMSU board, not CMSU (now, UCM) board to which she has been nominated.

IvanAwfulitch 4 months ago

MSU?

melbrooks 4 months ago

I stand corrected.

RobHunterJohnson 4 months ago

Crump, The city missed the best oppurtunity for a conference center, when they allowed our boat to set sail in the 90s! The best place for a conference center and boat is at the end of Chesnut St. It keeps the money in Cole Co. That said, the next best place for private business is at the McCarty site! There is at least three hotels within reasonable walking distance, and plus easy access to Highway 50/63! As for Carrie Carroll, my Aunt and Uncle owned the Bassman home which the city demolished, prior to them selling their home, the City did exert some pressure on them to sell, the city came over and pointed out the loose soffits ecetra? As for the Carrol property, I would imagine they had the same pressure being the building sat vaccant for a long time, during the remodeling of good rental property! (Jefferson City needs good rentals) If it were mine they could just build their convention center around it! Last but not least during the Flood of 93, we went by boat across 50/63 to my Uncles rental parking lot, tied the boat up to the step handrail, and had a good visit! After we build this new Convention Center where will all the water be displaced too, when the next flood comes? Rob

Crump 4 months ago

Rob, For once I agree with you. Thank Gary parker and Jack west for destroying that dream. I'm sure we get a Christmas card from Boonville every year since.

Paroquet 4 months ago

I've been to plenty of conferences in my time. Most were in hotels. None of them were anything that couldn't be supported by the Truman or Capitol Plaza, and I don't see those businesses being booked so solid that they aren't available. There's also this big blight of mostly dead space we call the Capitol Mall, and Lincoln has space available as well--indoors or out. I can't cypher how conference needs can't be accommodated by existing resources. There's plenty of lodging, and plenty of conference rooms available. Wouldn't be a thing the city to make a shuttle service available for lease in the event of lodging at one place, and conference at another--been to several structured just like that.

JCLifer 4 months ago

We need a COMMUNITY CENTER long before we need a convention center. This town us so dull, boring, and becoming so run down. No one want s to come here.

lovemyboys 4 months ago

The train show was an example & youd be surprised how many folks have train hobbies. Capitol Plaza is booked more than u think. Our church had to bump a fundraiser we usually have there from March to May because they were booked. I'm aware there's not much else here, but we have to start somewhere. Chuck E Cheese is a rip off. I would rather see a Bonkers type facility. Most things are one day shows. People come for the show, eat a meal or two here & head home. I'm not talking about vacations here. I'm talking one or two day shows. Like craft shows, various hobbies, etc. We just need some folks with vision instead of all u "negative Nancy's" who hate the city & bash it every chance u get. Jeez!

Paroquet 4 months ago

So you bumped it to have it at that specific location as opposed to other sites that are available...why? I really want to know. There had to be some reason that no other place would do. Most conferences I've seen are big enclosed spaces with climate control, chairs and sometimes tables, some urns for coffee & tea, water pitchers, glasses, maybe some finger food, a projection screen, a sound system, some electrical outlets, maybe a web connection. That's it. Fairly certain U.S. Rents & convention staff could cover most of those except for the big enclosed climate controlled space. Sell me on why we need a conference center exactly.

I'm not arguing against a conference center, I'm just giving my reason for not being supportive based upon what I see as viable, on the ground & open for business alternatives not being included in the discussion. Tell me why what we have won't work.

JCLifer 4 months ago

A casino and a Dave and Busters!

How about a venue for concerts - classic rock, country music?

Paroquet 4 months ago

There are some unused theater auditoriums at the Mall that could accommodate a stage venue with minor modifications. Notwithstanding that the acts which hit Columbia are dated--it's rarely (never?) happened that a current Top 40 or off-off broadway act has graced our more populous neighbor to the north. I think the nearest I've seen any contemporary performances has been Spfld. (Stomp, Blue Man Group), KC, & STL (mainstream, currently popular). Springfield's Juanita Hammons Center for Performing Arts, near as I know, has been nothing but a loss for the city & University. Speaking of which, with John Q. Hammons having such a presence here with Capitol Plaza, you'd think he would have jumped on creating a convention center if he thought it might turn a profit. Why hasn't he? When a businessman doesn't see an opportunity to profit, you've got to wonder why.

Casinos have to be floating and the State Legislature has restricted those to the MO and MS rivers last I paid attention, which was when some town on Table Rock or Taneycomo was vying for one.

I have no idea what is a Dave & Busters.

cinkisses 4 months ago

I have to disagree with you wholeheartedly. The Blue Note brings in many contemporary bands and artists, as well as the University. This spring along the University will have Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean, as well as in the past Larry the Cable Guy, Miranda Lambert, heck even Cher (though many years ago) was in Columbia for a concert. As well as hosting a variety of local and indie bands every weekend.

I think converting the theaters at the mall into a concert venue would be a fantastic idea. Maybe we wouldn't get the top 40 most exciting (overplayed) artists, but maybe we would get something new and some variety without having to drive to Columbia, St. Louis, or KC.

malmo 4 months ago

I walked by the train show going to the RV show Saturday. It was amazing how many people were there.

We cannot compete with St. Louis but we can do something to bring some events here. I'm all for it.......

sancho 4 months ago

I agree with lovemyboys, we need large exhibit space to attract the type of conferences that will bring large groups to Jefferson City. The "negative Nancy's" complaining there's nothing here to draw people don't understand the type of people that would be attracted to Jefferson City. The type of family that would love to come to Jefferson City for a conference could care less about Chucky Cheese and Arcades. They can take their kids to that at home. They'd rather come here for a meeting, bring the family and take their kids to see something educational and something the whole family would enjoy: the Capitol, Runge Center, MSP, MSP Museum (in the CVB), Prison Brews, Arris Pizza and of course EVERYONE's favorite Central Dairy.

As Mel pointed out, the voters passed the lodging tax almost 2 years. So those of you who continue to claim "the people of JC don't support this idea" are incorrect. It was put on the ballot. It was approved. The voters of Jefferson City showed they support this idea. We now need to follow through and make it happen.

As for the discussion about the W. McCarty site, the Tergin family owns the corner where their building is located. The city or housing authority owns the rest of that block except for the building at the other end of the block. During the last push for the conference center the Tergin family wanted to continue to own and operate their apartment building (which is on the National Register of Historic Places). Then Mayor Landwehr promised that if the Conference Center was built on W. McCarty it would not require the land where the Tergin's building is located.

JCLifer 4 months ago

Carroll wants to make sure the candidates are business friendly??? How about some candidates who are worker friendly? How about candidates who are family friendly? It woukd be nice to have a council that was resident friendly.

This is the problem with this town. The chamber and uptown businesses all think that the council and city givernment exist only to serve them. Whatever happened to government of the peopke, by the people, and for the people? Government should not exist just to serve business.

She is a deal.

JCLifer 4 months ago

You have some great ideas here. I wish we could get some candidates like these. Lord this town needs some good- paying jobs for a change.

JCLifer 4 months ago

We need some STEM businesses. High wage, high skill, high demand jobs. Minimum wage nic-nac and other little retail shops dont do much to help the local economy or provide jobs that can feed a family or pay taxes.

rodinman 4 months ago

Let's take look back in time; having a casino was taboo,then the voters changed that and casinos were okay, then the another vote and casinos are taboo again. Voters change their mind. I've seen detailed research on the cost of running a conference center and that information was given to the city council and the local newspaper-- both have chosen to ignore it. I was told my Ms Leroux, shortly after a city council administrative meeting, where she was given a copy of the detailed study, that she and the editor had discussed the inofrmation and were going to wait a short time then do a story. Months have passed and no story. Perhaps the people don't support a conference center at this time -- perhpas the people voted in favor of the tax because they were not going to pay it and hopefully it would ensure the general fund was not raided to build and operate a conference center. I know, let's do another vote.

lovemyboys 4 months ago

My point was that Capitol Plaza has the largest facilities which is why they are booked. Truman Hotel cannot accommodate the size we need (although their food is better). Some hotels in this town are just hotels & don't have conference rooms. Capitol Plaza has remodeled their atrium & are planning to remodel their rooms & conference rooms. We need more than one facility that can handle large groups. I haven't been in Doubletree since they remodeled so I'm unsure of their facilities.

No, we are not St Louis & KC. That's not a news flash. If we want to improve our city, sitting around complaining wont change anything.

JCLifer 4 months ago

It would be very interesting to do another vote on the convention center. I would bet the majoity would rather put that tax money toward street and sidewalk repairs.

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